The Deputy will have his chance in a minute, so I will have my say now. There has been much criticism, which has not been constructive, of her efforts, even though she has taken criticism on board when necessary. Nonetheless, she has continued to pursue the changes required in order to ensure that our nation will enjoy a first class health service in the future. There have been shortcomings in the past, but we are endeavouring to ensure that those shortcomings are eliminated step by step.

The decision to develop centres of excellence has been a contentious matter, but I fully support it. If I was unwell, I would much prefer to go to one of these centres of excellence where I would receive top class treatment, rather than attend a local facility where the appropriate expertise may not be available. Politicians come under pressure to retain all services at our local hospitals, but this is not always the best option. In time, the people of this country will realise that the road the Minister is taking is the right one.

Having said that, it is fitting to recognise the importance of the services provided by local hospitals all around the country. My local hospital in Letterkenny continues to provide an excellent service to the people of Donegal, despite the focus in recent years on services that do not exist at the hospital. I commend the general manager at the hospital, Mr. Seán Murphy, and his staff, on continuing to put the patient first in these difficult times. I was relieved to learn recently that the colposcopy services at the hospital are to be retained and upgraded, with a view to being included as one of the centres of excellence by the National Cancer Screening Service, headed by Mr. Tony O'Brien.

We are also pleased that the breast care unit at Letterkenny General Hospital will be officially opened by the Tánaiste later this month. This is very welcome progress. A new accident and emergency unit has been sanctioned by the Department and will include an additional 70 beds. A new mental health unit is also in the pipeline for the hospital, so it must be said that there is good news for the health service in these hard times. It is important that these good news stories are highlighted, because it is easy to be negative, but it is also futile at times. We all recognise that there is not as much money in the Exchequer as we would like, so the onus is on all of us to ensure that there is value for money in everything we do. Less money does not have to mean less effective services, but it puts emphasis on those who are most in need, which is what this Bill is all about. It is about putting the focus on those most in need and dealing with the resources that are available to us. I commend the Minister, the Ministers of State at the Department and the rest of the Cabinet on their constant efforts in ensuring that people are put at the centre of health services and for dealing with those most in need before dealing with anybody else.

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