Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The idea that there is a prospect of having a system that works perfectly in every respect is not correct. It is about making sure that we have a system that is accountable, which identifies issues as they arise, deals with them and ensures lessons are learned from them. It is about ensuring best practice models are put in place across the system.

The great problem of the health system before we began to modernise and reform it was that the hospital system was a stand-alone system rather than a network of facilities that pulled together the various specialties in a way that allowed people access to the best possible health care by ensuring the resource was properly planned and configured. That process is ongoing. There has been a greater degree of change in that respect, which has been much to the benefit of the health system and the people who use it, under the Minister, Deputy Harney, than anyone else. I will stand over that. Labour Party Members can scoff as much as they wish but the objective facts will show the improvements for patients since we brought in changes. Those changes are ongoing and more needs to be done in respect of further redeployment, in respect of the move from a hospital-based system to a more community-based system, in driving forward primary care centres throughout the State, in putting in place primary care teams in communities, and in respect of an entire range of structural changes that are fundamental to a modern, sustainable health system that will provide the best possible care rather than assuaging every parochial interest that seems to raise its head in respect of the health system.

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