Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

I wish to express my deepest sympathies to the parents of Harvey Morrison Sherratt. It must be very difficult for the family to lose a young son like that. The Tánaiste, Simon Harris, and the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, have met with Harvey's parents and there will be further meetings. They have agreed to work in partnership with parents and advocates on the inquiry into spina bifida and scoliosis services.

The most important people here are the parents and their children. They must be front and centre. The decision by the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to integrate CHI into the Health Service Executive is welcome. That is needed.

The Tánaiste has always acted in good faith and sought to improve healthcare service in all roles in which he has served in the Government. I know that from personal experience. We all acknowledge that more needs to be done and more needs to be achieved. We are working in that regard to provide an increased level of investment and we are also introducing reform.

On a general note, in a democracy, governments and public representatives should be held to account. I agree with robust debate. However, I fail to see the benefit of Deputy Tóibín's actions or what benefit there is for the public good and improving health services in the country. In fact, what the public want is collaborative work in all these areas. We have seen it with Sláintecare, which was universally welcomed. It was agreed on a cross-party basis. We need to work in that way. Let us have robust debate but let us not personalise it. That serves no purpose.

I very much commend this motion of confidence in the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Harris, to the House.

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