Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to be able to speak tonight and I welcome the Minister. I recognise the background and purpose of the Bill. We must respect the decision of the courts. The case was heard in court and the court came up with its finding, which is what the courts are for. The separation of powers between the Judiciary and the Oireachtas is very important.

I was in this House at the same time as Deputy Kelleher during the last Government and this was a huge issue in every town and the bigger villages in my constituency. There was all kinds of intimidation directed at head shops, including arson attacks on buildings. There were mob feelings because there were huge emotions. I supported the original legislation in the 1970s, which was amended by the then Minister, former Deputy Mary Harney, and I welcome the swift action of the Minister and the Department of Health in this instance. It is very important that we not only deal with issues like this but are seen to deal with them. It is vital we give a message to the Garda Síochána, to the counselling services and the many organisations trying to deal with the issues which arise from the misuse of drugs, whether they be cigarettes, alcohol or more serious substances. I was present in the House for the debate on the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes. It is important to take action to give some hope, support and solace to the many families suffering from the destruction caused by the misuse of illegal substances.

It is important this is regulated so I welcome the fact that, for once, this Government has acted expeditiously and speedily in dealing with the issue. Since he joined the Department of Health the Minister seems to give a comment to the media once a week or once a fortnight but not actually to deal with the issues. One would think he was an absentee Minister and he seems to be more of a media commentator. He is the Minister for Health now so I suggest he stands up. He should act up as he is the man in charge. He needs to listen to what is going on because he is not in opposition now, as he was a few years ago, nor is he in the Department of Transport. He should deal with the crisis we are facing instead of going away on holiday and returning only to be exasperated by trolley watch and unable to deal with the situation in the HSE. He is the man in charge and the buck stops with him. He is a young and energetic man and he has a lot of ideas so he should deal with the issues in health.

I welcome the fact that he is dealing with this issue today. I support him but I wish he would be as forthright, or even half as forthright, in dealing with the issues in Beaumont Hospital, South Tipperary General Hospital or Cork University Hospital. The crisis is alarming and the bureaucracy of the HSE is not dealing with it. There is no point in the Minister giving soundbites to the media to the effect that he is exasperated by it. He would be better rolling up his sleeves and dealing with it. He called a committee together which has met two or three times in emergency forum but the wrong people are dealing with emergencies. They are all senior officials but the Minister should deal with hospital managers and frontline staff.

I salute Sister Consilio and Sister Veronica Mangan and all the other people who have championed the victims of drug addiction, alcohol and homelessness. The Minister should take off his suit, put on his boots and engage with those people to understand what is going on. Then he might be able to deal with it.

There is no point in talking to senior officials in the HSE, which the Minister's party said it would disband. He has called them all together, but he cannot deal with the problem because the wrong people are discussing it. They sit behind desks, wear suits and are senior managers who are more interested in their advancing their careers than they are in dealing with the problem. The Minister should deal with the situation. He has drafters of the legislative programme to deal with this debate tonight. We need that kind of action in health as well as here. Let the Minister's legacy be that he took off the gloves and got down to the basics and dealt with the problems. I salute him in doing this. Let us show more leadership in other areas in the HSE as well.

See this speech in context