Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

It is a pity that the Minister of State does not accept my amendment No. 15 because it provides parliamentary accountability and a mechanism which is very reasonable. I am surprised that the Minister of State does not see it that way.

We have a health service which is now stripped of almost all accountability. The systems in place under the former health board system provided for some kind of scrutiny, albeit flawed, at local level. We must now be very conscious that at national level there must be enhanced forms of accountability and that is the purpose of my amendment. I regret that the Minister of State will not accept it.

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