James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is in stark contrast to the Government of which Deputy Kelleher was part, which was hiding it under the carpet. It was never exposed or counted before because they did not want to know. To paraphrase Bill Clinton, is it not the case that the Deputy is giving out because it is taking me so long to clean up the mess in which his Government left the health services? Nowhere in our history as a Republic have we been so failed in so many ways by a Fianna Fáil Government that presided over a financial fiasco and neglected the health service to the point where it nearly collapsed.

Despite the fact that we have had to reduce the health budget by nearly 20% and staffing levels by 10%, we have managed to improve the health service. We have had to do that because of the mess in which his party left this country. The Deputy should not try to paint it any other way. He has selective amnesia.

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