Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley. I am glad the House has the opportunity of debating these reports. I agree with the Leader of the House, Senator O'Rourke, as to the urgency of implementing this programme. If implementation of the reports and reforms has to wait three years, they will have lost their initiative. We have had a rash of reports in connection with the health service, at local and national level. What has happened to the many expert reports during the years? They were embraced very readily and their contents regarded as gospel. However, after some time, the holes and cracks began to appear. I have no doubt the same will happen to these reports if they are not implemented quickly.