Shane Ross (Independent)

The Labour Party has done us a service in tabling this motion, which I support. My immediate reaction was this was probably another motion in support of high spending without provision for accountability or costing. However, I am convinced by the arguments that it supports low or targeted spending on vulnerable people, with which Senators on this side of the House agree. This is not a catch-all motion to spend a great deal of money and give everyone what they want, which one might expect from the Opposition sometimes. Rather, this is about a small amount of money making a large number of people's lives tolerable and we should consider and support it.

Senator Norris touched on something which is personal to me when he referred to accident and emergency provisions. It appears there is no justification for cutting back on health services to poor people. I have to confess to ignorance in this regard but, for personal reasons, I have been visiting hospitals and have been involved with invalids and their rights. I was unaware of the extraordinary position that the richest people appear to get the largest benefits. I do not understand this. This is a free-for-all where people, regardless of their incomes, get free health services and pay nothing for sophisticated equipment which the poor cannot afford. I cannot understand why rich people are not asked to contribute to these services. The Eastern Health Board seems to provide extravagant and good health facilities for people who can afford to pay some money towards it. Why is this not happening? I though we were living in some sort of egalitarian regime, particularly in regard to the health service. However, this is not the case.

With a small redistribution of just €58 million and probably no hurt to anyone we could probably solve this problem by asking richer people to pay some contribution towards services for which they pay nothing at all. Perhaps the Minister of State and his colleagues would think about that. It would make no difference to the wealthy but an enormous difference to the people about whom we are talking.

I thank Senator Norris for raising the issue of stallion fees. It is ironic this motion has been tabled against the background of invidious cuts and at a time when a major court case is being taken by Mr. Alex Ferguson against Mr. John Magnier. What are they fighting about?