Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I know how important the meeting with Dr. Paisley and Mr. Adams is in the morning, although it is regrettable it was not possible to schedule it around Leaders' Questions. I will make one last attempt to ask the Taoiseach, as Head of Government, whether he will cause these contracts to be signed to build super, private clinics on the campuses of public hospitals. I have been getting a volume of letters and e-mails on this issue. I suspect the Taoiseach has also been receiving such correspondence, as have his backbenchers, given that they are so disquieted about this. It shows the depth of concern among health professionals and the public about the new drift of Government policy. I will read a paragraph from one consultant, which fairly much reflects feelings on this matter. Talking about the private capacity, he states:

They have a real potential to run down the public system and can reduce it to providing core services such as complex medical problems and providing care to acutely ill patients who cannot be catered for in any private system. So the profitable areas will be creamed off to be done in the private system. In addition to that, they have a disastrous effect on medical training. In short, I agree they will not solve any of the current problems. At present, what is happening in our acute hospitals is nothing short of a national crisis. The A&E departments are not able to cope and figures that are trotted out by the HSE are very dubious.

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