Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

Thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for restoring order. I wish I had more than 15 minutes because I have a lot to say about these three reports, of which we are debating two. The Hanly report will be the third to be published. It will constitute a very important part of the analysis of the problems within the health service and the way forward in terms of a framework for reform and change. I do not think there is anyone who will argue that change is not needed nor is there anyone who will argue that the health service as currently constituted has been able or capable of responding and performing, particularly in recent years, at the level expected of it.

It is not surprising that the debate has focused on money because of the amount spent by the Government on health in recent times. There has been a failure by the service to deliver what we, as customers, to use Senator Quinn's phrase, would expect for the amount invested.

When one looks at public investment figures, one has to ask why there are such problems at Crumlin Children's Hospital. Why are children waiting for chemotherapy? Why are appointments being postponed and cancelled from time to time? Why are large Dublin hospitals closing wards and beds? Why has the problem of waiting lists not yet been resolved? Will the reform programme being outlined by the Government arising from these reports make changes? Will it ensure that the problems at Crumlin are solved? Will it ensure that the large Dublin hospitals do not close beds? Will it ensure that people are not left languishing on waiting lists and forced to use a programme such as the national treatment purchase fund? I know the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, is in favour of the fund and pushes it quite often, but surely it is an indictment of our system that we need to send people abroad for procedures, given that we are investing such a large proportion of our national income on our health service.

I wish to discuss this issue in terms of the position at local level. Will this reform mean that the psychiatric unit at Nenagh General Hospital, which has been promised for 20 years, will be delivered? Has the prospect of such a unit now disappeared? Who can we ask about the matter? Who will tell us whether the psychiatric unit will be built and whether residential psychiatric beds will be made available in the county? Such beds are not available at present. How will this reform deliver change on the ground?