Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Every time the Taoiseach gets asked a tough question, he attacks the person asking the question and avoids answering it. He did the same last week when he described it as pathetic that his broken promise to Roscommon hospital was raised. He said: "I am getting a little fed up of the Deputy putting words in my mouth". The Taoiseach demanded that we show him the quotes. What he did not count on was that Niamh Connolly of the Sunday Business Post had a recording of the exact words spoken by the Taoiseach on this issue. The Taoiseach was caught out. As reminder he said: "And I don't come down here lightly to say these words". The Taoiseach said to the people of Roscommon that the accident and emergency services would be maintained and he attacked what he called "decisions made for Roscommon Hospital by bureaucratic people in a room far away from here". With solemn flourish, the Taoiseach said: "And I want you to understand this: I have defended the nurses and the doctors and the workers and the people of Roscommon over the years about this hospital, and will do so again". Not only this, the deputy leader promised he had the answer to doctor shortages and safety issues. Nothing new has been raised by HIQA since February.

It emerged today that HIQA has never set foot in Roscommon hospital. The idea that the view of HIQA on Roscommon hospital suddenly changes everything is ludicrous. Will the Taoiseach finally take this opportunity to come clean and admit that he and his party promised to keep the services open in full knowledge of the issues the hospital faced in a crass but effective effort to take two seats for the Fine Gael Party in Roscommon? Will the Taoiseach correct the public record as per a statement on RTE on Sunday? Will he correct the record of this House, which was misled last week?

See this speech in context