Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

Last Christmas, there was absolute uproar in Britain because waiting times were the worst in a decade, with only 88.7% of patients being seen within four hours. This motion is calling for a period of six hours, yet the Government cannot even accept that. What does that say about this Government? The reality is that, under its stewardship, we have seen a massive erosion of our health service. The drug payment scheme threshold has been increased by 37% and prescription charges have been increased fivefold. Some 600,000 home help hours have been cut. Home help is the very measure that could keep people out of accident and emergency units. The disability and carer's allowances have been cut, student nurses' pay has been butchered and so on.

In reality, the Government has made our public health system so unworkable and inefficient that people are being forced into private care. That is exactly the scenario that was highlighted by Gene Kerrigan on Sunday when he referred to when the Minister, Deputy Howlin, was Minister for Health. The latter explained at that time that he could not deliver a first-class public health service because, if he did, there would be no reason for sustaining a private system. The implication was that a hospital is not just a place where medics seek to preserve and repair our bodies and minds; it is an investment opportunity.

Chartered accountants JPA Brenson Lawlor boasted recently in a piece entitled "A lovely, simple business plan idea about a fabulous investment in old people" that it was an investment opportunity. It stated:

What about a nursing home investment that yields 15%? Lets look through the check list. There is demand for thousands of new nursing home spaces - check. The Irish population is ageing, guaranteeing a continuing long-term and rising level of occupancy - check. The country has a huge and continuing problem with hospital over-crowding, new nursing homes can fix that. We look at what you can get from a government bond versus what return you'd get from running a nursing home business. Come, talk to us; come along.

That is what we are talking about - rationing our health service and profiting from the misery of citizens. All the research and information shows that a single-tier public health service is by far the best for people's health and wealth and for the wealth and well-being of the nation. It is a disgrace.

See this speech in context