Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

That was some time ago. The HSE is growing into a massive monolith. It reminds me of Topsy in Uncle Tom's Cabin, who kept growing. I do not know how it is going to be put in shape or curbed.

I welcome the cancer care strategy because it is proper to have centres of excellence. Who would not want to visit such a centre rather than not know the outcome of a treatment? I hope the Hanly report will finally be introduced against a background of common sense. In addition to there being no hospital, the Health Service Executive is to close the death notification office in Athlone within three weeks. I spoke to the registrar in Roscommon today.

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