Mary Henry (Independent)

I support the call by Senator Ross for a debate on the Minister's hopes for the universities. I hope that the institutes of technology are addressed. The newspaper reports of the Minister's comments do not seem to cover these institutes, but the recent OECD report stated that they had a very important role to play in education.

We debated problems in accident and emergency departments last week when the Tánaiste was in the House. I supported her views that all vacant beds in hospitals throughout the country should be used to ease the situation in the acute hospitals. The Minister for Defence recently stated that St. Bricin's hospital could be used. Some people have apparently had a look at the hospital and have decided that it is not fit for public patients. Why, therefore, is it fit for Defence Forces personnel? What is the matter with it?