Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I absolutely agree with the Deputy that what has happened is totally unsatisfactory. People from the islands, with very serious medical conditions, are not being afforded services to hospitals, but he wants me to bang the wrong table. As he knows, the Oireachtas passed a law giving executive responsibility to the HSE, so that the Minister cannot give a specific instruction in this regard. I will, however, continue to bang the table of the HSE, which has responsibility in this matter. I fully agree with the Deputy and am glad, since he has much more medical expertise than I have, that he is equally dissatisfied with this. It is absolutely wrong and I could not concur with him more. I disagree with him only as regards two points. There is money on the table, but the HSE has not picked it up yet and that is regrettable.

See this speech in context