Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

The removal of public representatives from health boards is a retrograde step. They have been blamed by the media for the ills of the health service when in reality they were not responsible. They supported the operation of the health boards in a most effective way. For example, Councillor Tim Quinn in Belmullet fought for his local hospital and got it upgraded to incorporate a better screening system. No more voices will come from Belmullet, Achill or Roscommon under the new structures, which will be a big disadvantage.

I welcome that the Minister of State said local authority members would have a consultative role. I was very impressed with Quality and Fairness — A Health System for You, which represented very good structural change. However, there has now been a very radical change in this regard. The national treatment purchase fund scheme has made a huge difference to waiting lists. It has represented a radical and helpful change.

I take this opportunity to express the admiration of the people for the public representatives and other professionals who served on health boards since the 1970s. They were unselfish in their approach and made a major contribution and we record their passing today with this Bill.

I wish to say to Fine Gael, the small Opposition party, that it——