Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The first thing the Minister did when he came into office was change the targets. The internationally recognised targets for waiting lists were three months and six months. He unilaterally said it is 12 months. He had to massage the figures and perpetrate a con trick. That is what he did. The SDU has refined his machinations to nine months and over. The figures for three months and over and six months and over have rocketed over the past two years. The trolley count has also rocketed in the past few weeks. There is a fundamental problem which is more than just a case of the services being stretched. The Tánaiste has not commented on the fact that there is an e-mail going around a major acute tertiary hospital telling consultants and the wards not to do elective surgery. Elective cardiac and cancer surgery and neurosurgery is lifesaving surgery. It is unacceptable that this should be happening.

A further cut of €750 million is lined up this year for the health service. The centre cannot hold in the health service. Private health insurance is unravelling as thousands cancel it every week. The public hospital system cannot cope with the demand. This is what consultants, nurses and people on the ground are telling us.

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