Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

We are here to deal with just one item of legislation and it has become increasingly clear over the weekend that we are, in effect, wasting our time. It has now emerged that there are drafting and technical errors in the Bill so it is clear that even if we pass this legislation over the next two days the Dáil will have to reconsider it in the autumn.

The question once again arises: why are we here? The Leader herself pointed out publicly over the weekend that this is a rushed Bill and her description of it has proved to be true. It is also premature and there are serious difficulties with it. I put it to the Leader and the House: this exercise is nothing but a rubber stamp. We are wasting our time. It is bad for this Legislature to be forced to pass this legislation against the will of so many Senators.

There is a growing crisis in the health sector which the Government seems determined to ignore, although by so doing it is making it worse. The latest problem is the difficulties with junior hospital doctors and the failure to reach agreement on their working hours. I ask the Leader to let us know what the Government intends to do to ensure that patients' health is not put at risk and the current disastrous state of the health service is not made even worse by the Government's inaction.