John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute. In response to Deputy McManus regarding Wicklow hospital, I met local public representatives from her party and the other political parties yesterday morning at separate functions in Wicklow and I gave a commitment that I will arrange a meeting within the next two weeks to discussion the future of the hospital.

During Private Members' business, the Opposition must try to expose the defects and faults in the health service and we try to highlight the achievements and successes in the health sector over the past number of years, particularly given the Minister's commitment some years ago to deal with a number of significant issues, such as the need for a national cancer control programme. We all agree when the programme was established, it highlighted the defects in the system and it placed an emphasis on lifestyle change and support structures for cancer sufferers. Audits have been published and that is one of the greatest achievements of the current health service. The breast cancer survival rate is estimated to be 80.6% up from 74.2% while the prostate cancer survival rate is 87% up from 77.6%. These are serious life and death issues.

Nursing home charges and how people would pay for the escalating cost of care was another major issue. I acknowledge the commitment of the Minister and the Government to introduce the fair deal scheme. HIQA, which is statutorily supported, is now in place and it is addressing the need for inspections, which was a huge issue for public representatives. The authority has the teeth and imprimatur to conduct inspections independently.

Last night, the Minister referred to how the health of a country is measured. It is important for us all to recognise that the fact people are living longer supports the thesis that health services are improving. I thought it peculiar that the Private Members' motion made no mention of mental health. It is only when something goes wrong in the area of mental health that we then hear all about it. There has been criticism about under-spending in the health sector. This year's capital programme has provided for the turning of the sod in Letterkenny for a new acute psychiatric unit. This is currently under construction and there will be no more referrals to the old hospital. For the first time since 1815 there will be no further referrals to Grangegorman. Patients are now transferred for support to the new unit at Blanchardstown. Contracts were signed recently for developments in Clonmel and south Tipperary. This is not a bragging exercise on my part but rather about putting things into context. Ten houses will open next month for people with intellectual disabilities. I acknowledge there are difficulties in the health services but there is also progress and I hope we can work together to achieve further progress.

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