Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:

"Seanad Éireann

(1) notes the extensive additional resources, both capital and revenue, which have been allocated to the health services since 1997;

(2) commends the Government on the substantial capital investment of €1.7 billion in health infrastructure between 2000 and 2003;

(3) acknowledges the continuing commitment towards capital investment with approximately €2.7 billion being provided in the health capital framework from 2004 to 2008;

(4) welcomes the increase of over 25% in the number of patients treated in acute hospitals since 1997 and the near 80% increase in day activity in the same period;

(5) acknowledges the increase of 589 acute beds in hospitals throughout the country;

(6) welcomes the additional funding of €17.6 million towards the cost of initiatives taken to reduce the number of inappropriately placed patients in acute hospitals;

(7) recognises the Government's commitment to improve emergency medicine services and, in particular, welcomes the increase in the number of emergency medicine consultants;

(8) acknowledges the 41% increase in consultant numbers in the last six years; and

(9) commends the investment of some €46 million between 2000 and 2003 and a further €24 million in 2004 in General Practitioner Co-Ops which provide GP out-of-hours cover.".

It is amusing to hear Members on the other side of the House chastise Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats for what they have not done in regard to the health services. This is very funny when one looks back at the period 1994 to 1997 when they were last in Government.