Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I support the request of Senator Brian Hayes for a debate on the health services. If this House is to be politically relevant, we must discuss matters that are relevant to the public. Over the past few months the Minister for Health and Children has used the smoking debate as a smokescreen to cover up the shocking deterioration in the health service. The issue must be debated as a matter of grave urgency. I appreciate that time is limited but we must put at the top of the queue of subjects for debate the matters on which the public would expect us to concentrate. In almost every hospital in the country there are queues for beds and even for trolleys. We would be remiss in our political duty if we did not debate the matter at the earliest date.