Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister and her officials to the House. Her concluding remarks were somewhat ironic as she indicated that patients would be the winners. She also admitted the legislation is simple in one respect but complex in others. Why was the Bill rushed through the Dáil? The events in the other House yesterday, when amendments were accepted on Committee Stage and overturned on Report Stage, gives politics and politicians a bad name. I understand only 30 of 150 amendments tabled on Report Stage were discussed before the guillotine was applied. It is regrettable the other House did not get time to fully debate the Bill because the legislation brought before the Seanad has not been properly debated and the House will suffer as a consequence.

The exercise in which the House is participating today and next week is futile because the Bill will not be amended. The Minister has made up her mind and while she may listen to our views, they will not be incorporated in the legislation. This is in direct contrast to the previous Bill from the Department to come before the House, the Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004. The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Tim O'Malley, accepted some genuine amendments to the legislation during a fantastic debate, during which Senators debated the issues. This, rather than the shambolic events in the Dáil this week, which will no doubt be followed in the Seanad next week, is how Parliament should operate.

The Fine Gael Party broadly welcomes the Bill but it has two difficulties, namely, the absence of real reform and the lack of accountability. Although the Minister referred to reform on numerous occasions, the Bill does little to effect it. According to recent figures, administrative staff numbers have increased by 98% in recent years, whereas nursing numbers have increased by only 22%. The Minister did not indicate whether there will be job losses or redeployments, which does not make sense. While it is fine to reduce the number of health boards from 11 to four, if no structural changes occur subsequently and matters continue as normal, one must wonder whether reform is taking place.

I was amazed the Minister indicated the Bill would be enacted on 1 January 2005 because this directly contradicts a report in today's issue of The Irish Times. During a briefing given by officials from the South Eastern Health Board this week, Oireachtas Members from the south east were informed that the chief executive officer of the board will remain in situ for a further six months.