Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Statements by the Minister for Health have been consistently requested, with an opportunity to question him on a variety of crises, yet such an opportunity has not been provided. The Government's intended legislative programme has been published, but the list was much reduced. Some important items of legislation that we, including the Minister for Health, have been pursuing for a long time are no longer even in the programme. In the context of everything Deputy Gerry Adams has raised this morning and yesterday, the eligibility for health and social services Bill is one example. Time and again we have noted this matter. In the previous Government's final legislative programme it was stated it was not possible to indicate when it would be introduced. However, it does not even appear in the Government's legislative programme. What is the status of the eligibility for health and social services Bill? Will the Minister and the Department reinstate this promised legislation on the list? It should be expedited, given the level of public concern about so many aspects of the delivery of health services.

See this speech in context