Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The NTPF is just another sticking plaster in the Government's box of Band-Aid. It is not going to work. It has been proven not to work. I am not asking the Minister to take my word for it; Dr. Sara Burke will tell the Minister that it does not work and does not have any long-term impact. It only works in the short term. It might get the Minister a headline or two but that is about it.

It is regrettable that there is no plan to deal with this issue. There is nothing that will give people comfort while they are waiting. I spoke to a gentleman in Westmeath on Monday night who is waiting to have a hip replacement operation. I could see the pain etched into that man's face. His operation had been cancelled and he was given another date for April. He told me, however, that he has absolutely no faith that he will have his operation in April. The man can hardly walk. He is only one example of the hundreds of thousands of people right across the State who waiting for care.

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