Noel Coonan (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Henry's call for the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House to debate health issues and, in particular, MRSA. Several Members met with a group of cystic fibrosis sufferers in Buswells Hotel yesterday and we were appalled to hear that people with this condition are likely to die in Irish hospitals, particularly in Dublin, because of the presence of MRSA and their low levels of immunity. Last week I was contacted by a person from north Tipperary who was due to go to Dublin to undergo tests. However, that person was advised not to go because of the danger posed by MRSA. That is a serious situation, which is why I support the call for the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House and outline her plans to deal with this problem. I urge the Leader to also ask if the Minister would consider providing automated external defibrillators to community groups and sporting organisations. Perhaps she could make grant funding available to organisations which wish to install such equipment. While I welcome the appointment of Professor Drumm to the HSE, who obviously got all that he wanted, he needs to tackle basic cleanliness and hygiene in our hospitals.