Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

As I said on Second Stage, all that has changed is the date. The same things were said. The county councils were discontinued as the agents for delivering health services and the boards were established. However, in their 34 years the boards have, in the main, been responsible for the creation and provision of much specialist care in respective regions which would never have been provided otherwise. That is a fact. It is time to look at the situation 34 years later. Several people on the other side of the House, namely, Fine Gael, the Labour Party and other strata of opinion, have advocated the abolition of the boards. It is not true there was no consultation. The chairman of the Midland Health Board met with members and staff of the boards. There is difficulty in terms of coming to grips with change, but we should not fear it. Neither should we be afraid to stand up and say what is good or bad about change. To listen to people on the other side, one would think it was all bad. I do not accept that.