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

It is signed by the Minister himself. This is more self-congratulation. He is commentating on the health services and putting a spin on them that has no relation to the reality of patients' daily experiences. The 91 year old who waited 29 hours on a trolley is not an unusual occurrence. It happens constantly. While Beaumont Hospital was nearly being shut down because of overcrowding in its emergency department, the Minister was at a public relations institute event to outline to PR professionals how good he was at PR, spin, press releases and presentations.

We have an obligation to highlight the Minister's failing to deal with overcrowding in emergency departments. We do not do this just to cause him embarrassment. If we do not do it, we will fail in our duty to the many people who are left languishing on trolleys because of the Government's inaction and inability to address a national crisis that has been worsening under its watch and the Minister's in particular. This is not just me saying this, as these are the statistical facts. Behind those statistics are patients who are not being treated in the fair or reasonable manner that they expect when presenting at public hospitals. I commend the motion to the House.

See this speech in context