Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

It would be remiss of me not to comment on what Senator Browne said about the scandal of the Government's handling of the nursing home charges in respect of those over 70 years of age. He and I sat on the inquiry into that matter carried out by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children. He was disingenuous in how he has put across his point. There was a full hearing and the facts were as recorded in the report of that committee. We did not discover a scandal but rather that the position was anything but that. The Minister of State present and the other Ministers in the Department appeared before the committee. They gave their account of the position and the facts, which were debated in this House and were catalogued in the report of that committee. I record that I do not agree with what the Senator said. I do not see where there was a charge in that context.

I have no doubt that when we debate his motion at next week's meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Children we will all want to ensure that the people who are owed money — we are all on record, including the Chairman who spoke on this subject when it was debated in this Chamber — are paid promptly. I have no doubt the Government is committed to doing that, as it is committed to looking after the elderly in our community in terms of the good initiatives that are coming forward.

Senator Terry said that the Minister has been in Government for not one but for several years. The Government parties have been in office for several years and the good state of the economy is a testament to how the Government has acted. However, improvements cannot happen overnight. Rome was not built in a day. We disbanded the health boards. Senator Bannon was a member of a health board, several other Senators were members of health boards and they saw what was happening. The Health Service Executive has been established and we must give it space and time to be effective. We can see what initiatives it is coming up with and we must be patient. We must let it get on with its work and support it.