Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

He may have been, and the best of luck to him. I recognise that has to be done, but I am at a loss to understand how he has been able to telescope all the work done over the past ten years. What was done then dealt with the problems that arose. I am not suggesting that the problems cannot be dealt with now, but it requires effective action and for the Minister to come forward with ideas rather than saying “Look at what ye did”. We can stand on our record. I am not suggesting there were no problems year on year, but they were addressed in so far as was possible. That required investment. I hate the line “Money was thrown at it in the good times and that did not work.” It did work. If that structured investment had not taken place, the health service would not have met the increased demand and the complexity associated with the new levels of treatment. The long-term metric that must be considered is that life expectancy has increased for men and women by two years.

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