Mr. Stephen McMahon of the Irish Patients' Association recently stated: "Given the scale of the cuts announced by the hospitals, patients are likely to die while waiting for treatment. Accountants are making decisions about people's lives." That is a very emotive comment. In a recently reported case, a woman aged 85 was on a trolley at the Mater Hospital for 75 hours. She was one of 20 patients who had been there for up to three days, although there are empty beds in the hospital. Why is this allowed to happen? On the fourth day the woman, Ms Sylvia Byrne, was sent home without having the tests which had been promised. I do not regard that experience as indicative of a proactive health service.