Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Deputies should look at the legislative programme presented here. The spring programme for 2009 stated that the mental health (amendment) Bill was expected to be published in 2009. Here we are into the so-called summer stage of the Dáil this year and publication is now expected in 2010. How many more deferrals of this essential legislation must we await before there is a realisation of what is absolutely wrong at the heart of the Department of Health and Children? The Minister for Health and Children present. It is time she was held accountable for these failures. That is just one example of the many failures in that Department.

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