Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I congratulate the Ceann Comhairle on his appointment and the new members of the Government, specifically Deputies Ryan, Gormley and Brian Lenihan. I thank my constituents in Dublin South-West for returning me to the 30th Dáil.

This Dáil has a significant advantage over previous Dáils in that we do not need to face the continuing threats of paramilitarism and subversion or threats to the security of the State. Given the amount of time previous Parliaments needed to invest in dealing with the threat to security, we have an advantage in terms of the opportunities ahead.

I have a great personal regard for the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. She is a formidable politician. She stated in her contribution that it would have been foolish to rule any individual or party out in terms of talks, but that is what her party's former leader, Mr. Michael McDowell, did when he stated categorically that he would not have done a deal with the Green Party. It is not in the long-term interests of the Progressive Democrats to be in government with the Green Party, as we will eventually see.

In the course of the Taoiseach's remarks, he stated he and his colleagues will be entering into the Intergovernmental Conference to determine whether it is possible to establish a new constitutional treaty for Europe. I hope his efforts have the support of the Government. In the past 25 years, the Green Party has been the most cynical and dishonest party when discussing European matters in Ireland. It has distorted every referendum on this issue, as the Minister for Finance well knows, and has used those opportunities as a blatant and cynical political ploy for the purposes of public relations. I only hope the Government speaks with one voice on this crucial issue. In trying to work towards a new constitutional treaty that will ultimately be put to the people, I hope the Taoiseach will have the support of the entire Government. We must wait to see whether that is so in the weeks and months ahead.

Health was the issue that dominated the discussions and debates of the election campaign. The cynical about-turn by the Green Party on the issue of co-location will be recognised as such by its supporters. That party took a deliberate policy position in this House and in the public domain of opposition to the Government's plan. That plan will hand out massive benefits to the private health care sector and will ultimately widen the difference in our society between the haves and the have nots in terms of public and private health care. The people will see through the Green Party's sell-out on this issue.

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