Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Meanwhile we see a serious contraction of services across this State, not least in the north east area about which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, should be very concerned, with the loss of all elective orthopaedic work between now and 2009. We see the continual erosion of services at Monaghan General Hospital and other hospitals. We see the reduction in home help hours.

All these matters should be debated in this House. This proposal to refer to the select committee regarding the specific areas for additional funding will also come back here, and the proposition will be to accept the report of the committee without debate. That is what is wrong with the system of health care provision in this State. This House has no real opportunity to properly debate the scandal that is the HSE's management and oversight of health care. The referral should not take place without debate. We should have a full and proper debate on this Supplementary Estimate on the floor of the House.

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