Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Tánaiste will bring to the House a number of legislative proposals on the continuing implementation of necessary health reforms to try and improve our health service and build on the successes in certain service areas, despite the critical pressures that still exist, particularly in accident and emergency services and to which she is currently paying particular attention.

On the question of the provision of private beds in the hospital system, I am in favour of such an initiative. We should be open and recognise that the more we can use both the private and public sectors to work together to improve service delivery models in the health service, the better.

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