Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá ceist agam faoi reachtaíocht atá fógartha. We are advised that the health (general practitioner medical service) Bill is to provide a GP service to persons aged five years old and under. The plan was to have it in place by the middle of this year. The Irish Medical Organisation has strongly condemned the Government's refusal to negotiate and has also threatened a court injunction. Does the Government plan to negotiate with the IMO? How confident is the Taoiseach that the scheme will be up-and-running by the middle of the year? When will this health Bill be published?

The second question relates to the health reform Bill, which is to put in place new structures for the health service as set out in the Future Care and the disestablishment of the HSE document. Will the Bill include reform of the ambulance service? There is widespread concern at the response times and the risks delays create for patient safety. In my constituency there have been serious examples of lengthy delays, including one at the beginning of the year in which a local citizen died. When will the health reform Bill be published? Will it include reform of the national ambulance service?

See this speech in context