Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The motion addresses a serious issue. The truth is that if a person is sick, dying or in serious pain, he or she does not have many options and will want to avail of a health system that can provide help. I welcome the honest attitude taken by the Minister because a lack of honesty adds insult to injury. Having read the motion and noted the signatories to it, I can only describe it as a scam. The scam here is having people lured in by a show of empathy, the wringing of hands, crying and pointing out all the hardship in the health service - for instance, waiting lists - before a general statement is made about how the service should be. As Deputy Durkan stated, one can cherry-pick while never providing answers to questions on where the money will be found. Somebody must make these difficult decisions and sometimes one would need the wisdom of Solomon to make them.

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