Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

There is no question that there is excessive overcrowding in A& E departments. It results in patients, and indeed staff, being left in totally unacceptable and unsafe environments. A major cause of the crisis is the lack of beds and closed wards, as mentioned by several other speakers.

We have had nothing but promises from the Government. The Minister presides over reports and strategies but he is poor on delivery in terms of implementing recommendations. Some 200,000 extra medical cards were promised, yet there has been a decrease of 45,000 in the last two years. This is the type of promise and politics about which the people said they had had enough during the local elections campaign.

Some 15,000 people walked the streets of Waterford looking for their right to equity of access for radiotherapy service. They were seeking the same treatment as other areas of the country. There has been nothing but contempt from the Minister for the people of Waterford and the south east.