Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

They are still waiting for the Minister, Deputy Harney, to sign off and approve that tender so that the hospital can be built.

My constituency can do without three Ministers although I wish the best of luck to all three. However, we cannot do without the building of that hospital. Interestingly, when the Taoiseach reviewed the programme for Government last summer he removed any reference to the hospital. The person who has now been appointed a Minister of State, whose job I would have thought was to keep an eye on these matters, did not appear to notice, make a complaint or insist that the hospital be kept in the programme.

What we have been offered today is not a fresh start or a change but what may be termed the "same old, same old". I wish the individuals who are being appointed to ministerial office well but this is not what the people are looking for. Everywhere I go in this country I am asked one question, namely, "When are you getting them out?" Unfortunately, we cannot get them out on the Opposition benches. However, I put this challenge to each of the so-called Independent Members.

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