Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

The Taoiseach stated he does not accept my figures. These figures come from the Minister and his proposals and were given to me by the service providers. As a backbencher I deal with the reality of sick and disabled people every day.

In the past the Taoiseach promised to cut waste in the health service, something all Members support, just as we strongly support reform. Is the Taoiseach not taking his eye off the ball? Will the Taoiseach accept that groups such as the Carers Association and the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament share these concerns about the cuts to elderly health services? What will happen to those elderly people who live at home but depend on local hospital provision? Does the Taoiseach accept patients did not cause this economic and banking crisis? Why should they have to pay for it?

For once and for all, will the Taoiseach put to rest the claim that under these proposals his Government will cut the 34 en-suite beds for cystic fibrosis patients at St. Vincent's University Hospital to 20 beds when the patients and their families were promised they would not be? If it is not the case, why are his backbenchers expressing strong concerns on this matter to the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly?

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