Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

Exactly. I am sorry that is the case but c'est la vie. In his statement the Minister talks about the backdrop to the 16 December 2003 meeting. He states:

. . . the main item of concern was the Health Reform Programme, and in particular its implications for the personal positions of the CEOs. The Hanly Report was also a key issue. I spoke on both topics during the meeting and I had a meeting on Hanly with the CEO of the Mid-Western Health Board immediately after the conclusion of the meeting.

The Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, who is now in the Chamber and very welcome, will recall that in October and November 2003, big marches took place on the streets of both Ennis and Nenagh. It is clear that the Hanly report was the major political issue then and this other issue was a smaller one.

This also raises the matter of attempting to get through too much in too little time. It was a major point of political pressure in terms of the health reform programme but my concern is that we rushed through legislation to set up the Health Service Executive without members of a board and a five year business plan being in place. In light of this report, it appears the establishment of the executive was at the very least premature. We will have to examine how issues such as corporate responsibility and accountability are now managed by a board which is not in the Department of Health and Children. I would like to hear the Government's response on that. To give a roundabout answer to the comment made by Senator Dardis, the Travers report and the set of issues it raises are very relevant to the legislation before the House.

On the doctor-only medical card, which is not a bad idea, speaking as a public representative I hope it works. I hope it will give relief to those who need it most because I know, and I am sure others know also, that there are people who do not visit their general practitioner because they cannot afford it. There are those without medical cards who do not bring their children to the GP for that same reason. I hope we are going far enough in this legislation to ensure that aspect is covered.

It is to be hoped that the impact of the scheme will be to generate some relief on the pressures facing the hospitals' accident and emergency units. If people feel they have greater access to their GPs they will be less likely to attend an accident and emergency unit or to wait until such time as they need to do so rather than having it dealt with early and effectively by a GP in a primary care capacity. I will wait to see how it will work in practice.

Our provision, through the public system, for care of the elderly is woefully inadequate. In light of the fact that the Hospital of the Assumption in Thurles is being upgraded at one level, which is welcome, but that, at another, the number of public beds is being reduced from over 100 to 70, one must ask serious questions about the Government's commitment in respect of care of the elderly.