Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I, too, noted the Taoiseach's responses of 28 February on this issue. He indicated, and I ask him to revisit it this afternoon, that he had no knowledge of proposed contracts in regard to the co-location on public hospital sites of private for profit hospitals. I also noted on that occasion that he indicated he would give no guarantee to this House that he would not sign contracts for same prior to the dissolution of the current Dáil. Can the Taoiseach explain to the House his notion of socialism when he states that he cannot accept the presence of private beds in public hospitals but he has no problem in accepting private hospitals co-locating on public hospital sites? That is ridiculous. Will the Taoiseach not accept that is the case? Will he not accept also that while his response to Deputy Rabbitte's point is very weak, a full four weeks prior to the set of responses we are both now quizzing him on further, in response to a parliamentary question from myself, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, indicated on 31 January exactly what was taking place regarding the eight sites mentioned? Is it at all possible that the Taoiseach could not have been aware a full four weeks later, on 28 February, that it was the intention to move towards the invitation to tender to each of the selected interests by early March?

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