Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that No. 17, motion 12, in the name of my group should not be moved today, and that the two hours normally allocated for Fine Gael Private Members' business be given to the House to allow for statements by the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children with responsibility for the elderly. Members of the House could then reply in the course of the debate. That would be more relevant today in terms of the controversy surrounding the nursing home issue.

We are all exercised by the nursing home scandal. However, there is a greater scandal, namely, the failure on the part of public administration to adequately respond to these problems when they emerge. In November 2002 the Human Rights Commission submitted a lengthy report on this issue to the Department of Health and Children setting out particular concerns that it had regarding two health board areas. Eight months later the commission received a cursory reply. In July 2001, the former Senator, now Deputy O'Dowd, referred specifically in this House to the problem at the heart of the "Prime Time" investigation shown on Monday night. If there is a greater scandal in this area, it is the failure of the Department of Health and Children to respond to these problems when they emerged three and four years ago. Not only is there a culture of denial within that Department, there is a culture of cover-up.

Ministers must take responsibility for the Departments for which they are in charge to this House and the Dáil. We already know, to our cost, of Ministers not reading reports. Neither the then Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, nor the then Minister of State with responsibility in this area read the Human Rights Commission report in 2002. No action was taken, which constitutes the greater scandal.

What action is taken when Parliament has evidence and refers to these matters? The answer is nothing. This failure on the part of our public administration to respond to these crises as they emerge is an issue we must address. It is a scandal that it takes a television programme for us to respond to issues raised in this and the other House for the past four years while the Government has simply looked the other way and blamed and ditched officials at its call. That is wrong. That is the reason we need to debate this matter tonight and the reason our party will devote the two hours available to us to such a debate tonight.