John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I echo the comments of Deputy Creed on the motion moved by my esteemed colleague, Deputy Kelleher; it is long on aspiration but short on detail. I too wish to raise the issue of care of the elderly with the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, since she is in the Chamber. I echo Deputy Creed's points on the HIQA standards, which are important. It is important that the standards are met. I welcome that there is a serious conversation under way and the possibility of funding for the provision of new publicly-controlled beds for geriatric patients in future.

In my part of the world, Thomastown in County Kilkenny, St. Columba's Hospital is a fantastic facility with almost 90 beds. The number has reduced from more than 100 beds some time back because of these self-same HIQA standards but it is an outstanding facility. It is public and it is particularly renowned for its rehabilitation services. It is important that the facility be maintained in future. The same applies to Castlecomber District Hospital.

Yesterday evening I tuned in to the start of this discussion when Deputy Kelleher moved the motion. Deputy Keaveney was the second speaker. He took my name in vain, so to speak, in reference to a previous discussion on the financial emergency measures in the public interest legislation, which we discussed in the House recently. He spoke about the difference between those in Fianna Fáil and the rest of us in terms of their aspiration for social spending. He managed to misquote and mis-reference me several times, but finally he offered the correct quote. What I said was that the economy and taxation need to be central to the major discussion that will take place in any election. In the previous discussion, and again last night, Deputy Keaveney gave the impression that funding for public services can simply fall out of the sky. Unless we have an economy that functions properly and a taxation system that is efficient, the funding for public services will not materialise.

Deputy Keaveney's views are echoed in the motion from Fianna Fáil. They have learned nothing from the cliff they drove the country off seven or eight years ago in terms of the economy. Everything we discuss in terms of public expenditure is contingent on the fact that we have a functioning economy. Thankfully, that is what we have again. We also have the Exchequer in a healthy position. For the first time in seven or eight years it is substantially in that position now.

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