Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Along with thousands of other people, I watched the "RTÉ Investigates: Living on the List" programme during the week. Like my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Harris, I felt ashamed. It is simply not acceptable that so many people are going through such an ordeal. The revelations exposed in the programme with regard to waiting lists are extraordinary. It is time for those who are supposed to be accountable to answer for the shortcomings in our health system for once and for all. Time and again, I have come up against a brick wall in my dealings with the HSE as I have tried to get someone to be accountable and to explain the reasons for the decisions that are made. This has got to stop. The HSE must be held accountable for its decisions. It must operate in an open and transparent manner. I do not believe the operations of the HSE are accountable, open or transparent.

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