Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I am disappointed the Minister of State's response is negative. I am not certain whether the response to the previous ten amendments followed the same pattern. However, if this is the pattern of the Government approach, it is on a collision course with Opposition voices. The Government seems unprepared and unwilling to accept reasonable amendments which seek to improve and strengthen the legislation which is severely deficient.

It is critically important that the HSE is held to account and that it is seen to be the case that there is open, transparent accountability applied to all its work and decisions and that the public's confidence is built through such an exercise. That confidence cannot reach the standards we desire until such time as the structures are changed to ensure there is democratic accountability and that the Minister who presides over the Department and the HSE — although she would have us believe she does not — or someone in that role in the future once again takes full and accountable charge of the delivery of health services in this jurisdiction. This is very important.

Again, I commend the amendment to the Minister of State and appeal to him to reconsider the response he already offered.

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