Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

If a person has a chronic illness in another area, he or she has access to the National Treatment Purchase Fund. Why does this not apply here? Why do the parents we saw last night not have some prospect of relief? Why can they not access the National Treatment Purchase Fund?

It is not good enough for the Taoiseach to come in here and say that he does not want to deal with the responsibility of his Minister of State. The Minister of State told the suffering parents last night that it is because some people in the psychiatric profession want to make themselves feel powerful that they exaggerate the waiting lists and like to keep people waiting because it confers this sense of power on them. Can one imagine any other EU member state leaving a man who uttered these sentiments responsible for this sensitive area?

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