Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the presence of the Minister and I sincerely thank the Technical Group for allowing me time to speak on this important Bill. Many years ago I started out as a young politician on the old Southern Health Board and I believed in the structures of the board at the time. I learned many valuable lessons from other board members because, as the Minister remembers, at the time the structure of the board was very different from what exists at present, and consultants and national and local public representatives, who had a wealth of experience, attended the meetings. I would be neglectful if I did not mention one great friend I had at the time and perhaps the Minister knew him also. His son, Deputy Sean Sherlock, is a Minister of State. Joe Sherlock was a man for whom I had tremendous respect and I am sorry he is gone to his eternal reward. I know he is above in heaven looking down. He brought passion to health board meetings and fought in a forceful way. I remember him shaking and trembling when fighting for Mallow Hospital like it was yesterday. He brought a real sincerity to meetings which I valued and appreciated.

I had respect for the structures of the board at the time because we had an input into the budget which, as everybody knows, is very important because to influence change one must influence the budget. I thought the old Southern Health Board was a good model. Unfortunately, doctors differ and patients die. The new HSE was brought into being and one of the first things it did in its infinite wisdom was to remove politicians. I remember thinking at the time this was wrong because I believed politicians brought to meetings their own expertise and local knowledge from dealing with constituents. They were able to raise important local, national and regional issues. When we speak about the old health boards we are speaking about regions and we are not being parochial. I immediately saw a very big problem with the set-up of the new HSE and I was proven right, because after a while it was decided to bring back the politicians. I was one of these politicians and I immediately saw an awful change in how the structures worked. We were virtually toothless . We attended meetings, but it was not the same and the new structure did not have the same effect or bite as the old Southern Health Board. I know the Minister must move on and I appreciate there must be change. Excellent speeches have been made today on the need for change. I know in today's world the structure of the old Southern Health Board would not be fit for the practice, but change for the sake of it is not something I welcome.

I must say something about accountability. I remember when the Minister was an excellent Opposition spokesperson on health and he attacked and berated the then Minister at every opportunity, which was his right and his job. He did it very effectively which in turn ensured he was the new Minister for Health. I must be honest, and the Minister knows that for personal reasons I do not like being critical of him above anybody else on that side of the House-----

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