Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

We are facing into another winter when patients will experience what is, all too often and too sadly, a hell in accident and emergency departments in hospitals throughout the country. People are queuing for admittance on trolleys and chairs. The reality is nothing other than a Third World situation for staff and patients alike. It is an intolerable situation.

Why is the Minister for Health and Children, rather than addressing this major crisis in our health system, proceeding to implement her madcap plan to privatise our hospital system? Why is she facilitating private health care developers with access to public land adjacent to public hospital facilities? How does the Taoiseach explain this proposition, which clearly did not appear in the Government's health strategy, the programme for Government or the manifestos of either the Fianna Fáil Party or the Progressive Democrats Party in advance of the last general election? The Taoiseach, the Minister and the Government have no mandate whatsoever for pressing ahead with this proposal.

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