Seanad debates
Tuesday, 13 May 2003
Health Service: Statements.
Senator O'Toole referred to the number of reports that Members have continually asked to be published. There has been much recent media comment about three reports, in particular, namely, the Prospectus report, the Brennan report and the Hanly report. Public representatives in contact with the health services are waiting with bated breath, some anticipation and not a little concern for the recommendations contained in these reports. I understand that the Government plans to issue all three together and present them, I hope, as some sort of strategy for the future. I wish to seek early clarification in this regard. Like Senator O'Toole, I wish to know why these reports have not been place in the public domain. As with the rail strategy review, we are being subjected to a "drip, drip" process of media leaks. The final conclusions and recommendations in that review, as it turned out, were very different to the selective leaks that had presented a fairly positive picture in the month prior to its publication. It may be the case that the recommendations in the reports to which I refer will be met with a fear and trepidation, particularly on the part of representatives of the Government parties.
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