Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:

"Seanad Éireann condemns the Government for its abject failure for almost six years to reform the health service, to ensure value for the enormous sums of taxpayers' money spent and for failing to show the political leadership or decision making capability to guarantee and sustain an equitable and quality health service in the future."

Senator Minihan has put forward an eloquent and necessary motion. I stand back from it, however, to move this amendment. It is like the good cop bad cop routine. The Progressive Democrats Party has suddenly realised that there is a problem in the health services. No previous Government has had over five years to deal comprehensively with the health service, with huge budgets at its disposal. We are now as badly off as we were when the Government parties took office almost six years ago. It has done nothing to arrest the decline of the health service.