Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

There has been a slump in the corporate governance of these Departments under the PDs. The attitude of Fianna Fáil to the slump is no surprise to us in the House. They have failed completely to provide political leadership.

As Fine Gael spokesperson on health and children, there have been three major issues in which I have had an interest in recent weeks: the statutory rape crisis, the report of the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction and the legislation to which this motion refers. There a common theme running through these three issues. The response time one would expect from the Government with regard to dealing with the important issues I have just outlined is an absolute disgrace. Something else these three issues have in common is that the Supreme Court is playing, or could potentially play, a central role in them. All that indicates to me is complete incompetence on the part of the Government. The Supreme Court pushed the statutory rape issue, the Supreme Court is central to the legislation referred to and it looks like the Supreme Court will decide on the report on the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction because the Government is failing to do its job. That is incompetence. A constant factor in all of these issues is the involvement of the Progressive Democrats. Although it has always claimed to be good on corporate governance, the Progressive Democrats has been central in some of the greatest messes we have witnessed in this House.

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