Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

A total of 300,000 households will have to wait until next October. The Government is telling people with empty oil tanks who, if last year is anything to go by, will have to go through a number of cold months between now and October, that they will not be able to buy heating oil until next October when this promise is delivered. That is scandalous.

The Taoiseach has talked in general terms about the work of the health committee. Is the Government going ahead with the co-location plan? Is the co-location plan dead in the water? We know - the Taoiseach has effectively acknowledged this in the House - that because of the changed economic circumstances the private finance does not now appear to be available for the planned co-located hospitals. Is the plan over? Will any of these co-located hospitals be built?

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