Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Regarding the health reform Bill, some 412,000 people are waiting to see a consultant for the first time as outpatients. There is an increase in the number of people waiting on trolleys in accident and emergency units and the National Treatment Purchase Fund has announced major increases across all categories of people wanting to access appointments. In terms of the health reform Bill, we are not quite sure what reforms are being proposed. It was proposed to abolish HSE and have universal health insurance as the funding model for the health services in the years ahead. Does anyone know the kind of reform proposed? As late as yesterday, the Taoiseach told us there would be no supplementary budget even though the Minister for Health told me two weeks in advance that there would be a supplementary budget this year. Who is in charge of the health reform Bill? Does anyone know what is happening in health any more?

Regarding the Bill we spoke about on Leaders' Questions, when will it be brought before the Dáil? When will it be taken on Committee Stage? Will there be an opportunity for pre-legislative scrutiny to check this legislation and carry out broad consultation? Not everyone has welcomed the Bill. Many people have concerns about the proposed Bill and it has not been universally welcomed. The idea that the Government is being applauded for the Bill is not true. These are bully boy tactics and it offends many people. It puts people under huge pressure. The Tánaiste quoted Charles Dickens. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, will go down not as the artful dodger but as the Bill Sykes, a bully boy when it comes to taking money from social welfare payments.

See this speech in context