Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join other speakers in welcoming this Bill and paying tribute to Deputy Browne for the manner in which he has proposed it, thereby giving this House an opportunity to comment on the good work that has been done in recent years. Various policy documents have been published, but unfortunately they have not translated into mainstream health provision as we would have liked. Despite all the commitments and the improvements in monetary allocations within the budget system, it has been difficult to put enough professionals in place to meet the level of demand we regularly encounter at our clinics and elsewhere. Even though magnificent work is being done by people in the voluntary sector and advances have been made in other areas of healthy living that improve the health of the mind, many people are still not able to access the sorts of facilities we would expect everyone to be able to access in the modern society we live in. A Bill like this is essential to ensure in legislation that this country provides access to facilities, services and care in a way that is comparable to all other aspects of health provision to which we aspire. I want to add my voice to the voices of many Deputies on all sides of the House, of all parties and none, who are keen to enable the Dáil to be in a position to ensure these services and facilities are easily accessed. It is because we regularly leave our clinics with a great sense of frustration and worry that we are seeking to ensure a level of expertise and professionalism of which we can be proud is available in our health service. As legislators and as elected representatives, we cannot sleep easily if we do not know full well that services and facilities which should be available as a matter of course are in place. Everyone has a duty to ensure such services and facilities are provided.

See this speech in context