Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

On that point where stands the renegotiation of the consultants' contract? Is the Taoiseach pursuing that with the necessary vigour to ensure consultants are appointed who will work solely within the public system? I welcome the fact the Taoiseach's friend has obviously had access to a procedure and I wish the person well. The 202 people on trolleys also have families. They are waiting within our public health system and it is their need and interest I wish to see addressed here. The Taoiseach can trundle out his responses on the amount of money thrown into the system but where is it being directed to when there is a new treatment room at Monaghan General Hospital that is unresourced for months, not open and not serving the community? That is unacceptable when we have a dearth of consultant radiologists to read scans while people are being left for days waiting and worrying about results, apart from the fact that but for the delay they may have been able to be discharged, saving them an expensive overnight stay in our hospital system and the system itself which must subsidise that presence.

Nothing in what the Taoiseach has said tells me that, given the past nine years of the horrendous state of our health service, over which he has presided, he has any answers to address the problems at the core of the health crisis. He has less than nine months to address the problem and convince the people and no amount of Houdini like tactics will fool them or cod them when it comes to the general election. People have memories. No matter what the Taoiseach does in the intervening period, unless he demonstrates he is serious about addressing this crisis in the interests of all our citizens, he will deservedly pay a very dear price.

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