John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

Perhaps she was but it was not on my watch. It would be opportune to invite her to come before us again to discuss comments she made last week, particularly on the crisis in hospital accident and emergency departments in this city and throughout the country.

It would also be opportune for the Tánaiste or her colleague and good friend, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, to come in to discuss the issue of nursing homes. According to at least one of the daily newspapers today, hundreds of families were ripped off by the State by being forced to pay the costs of care in nursing homes which they should not have had to pay. The relevant Minister should come before the House to discuss this important issue.