Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I note again from the section on the Department of Health and Children in the legislative programme signalled for the coming term that the status of the eligibility for health and social services Bill is described as "not possible to indicate". This is yet another failure on the part of the Department to present very important legislation on the rights of citizens to access health and personal social services. The legislation in question has been promised for many years. Earlier indications were that the Bill would be published, Second Stage addressed, etc., but in recent years the only answer we receive from the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, and her Department is that it is not possible to indicate when the Bill would come before us. This is simply not good enough. What efforts is the Taoiseach employing to ensure that entitlement and eligibility for health and personal social services will be addressed substantively in the presentation of this long-awaited legislation?

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