Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

A total of 3,000 people are on the waiting list and 300 children are in adult psychiatric units, which is disgraceful, while the Taoiseach talks about the moneys that have been allocated. The Taoiseach referred to some of the questions I raised yesterday. I will ask him two questions that I already put to him this morning but which he did not answer. He knows the answers to these questions because they are either "yes" or "no". We are dealing with Leaders' Questions and the Taoiseach is the leader of the Government.

My first question is very clear. Does the Taoiseach believe that professional psychiatrists in this country deliberately maintain long waiting lists to exert power and influence — yes or no? Second, does the Taoiseach believe that the continuous repetition and mention of problems in the mental health area is tiresome — yes or no? I ask the Taoiseach to answer as leader of the Government and not to associate himself with the incomprehension, incompetence and lack of accountability of the Minister of State, who represents a party that supports inequality in Irish society.

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