Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

This is an important debate, but given the contributions from the Government side what depresses me is that the problem is not recognised. I listened with interest to what the Minister said and indeed read his script. I also listened today to what the Minister for Finance said. At lunchtime I felt a certain sympathy for the Minister, Deputy Martin, who sends out media signals indicating he is looking for further funding. Then we hear his presentation tonight and what his colleagues have said. It would appear that the message has not got through to Members on the Government side that there is a problem of enormous proportions. It appears that all of them were active on the local and European election hustings but did not get the vibe from the public.

The public believes there is a profound problem in the health service. I wonder if that message is being taken on board. If we removed the year 1997 from the records, it appears the Government would have nothing to say. We hear all the statistics about what has happened since then. Could some on the Government side reflect back to the general election of 1987 when former Taoiseach, Mr. Haughey, led the Fianna Fáil Party? He proclaimed to the people in 1987 that health cuts hurt the old, the sick and the poor while his party proclaimed that there was "a better way". On that fabricated argument Fianna Fáil was elected to power and within weeks there was a slashing of resources in the health services and hospital beds across the country. Those bed numbers have not been returned to the service in the intervening years. It is frightening to think we have had the Celtic tiger economy since 1987, with record resources, but we have not restored the Irish health service to the position it held in terms of beds and availability of services before that year. The Senator may shake her head, but that is the position.