Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I, too, want to raise the issue of crime. It is extremely worrying that 17 people have lost their lives due to gangland killings of one description or another — executions being the most recent type of manifestation of the worst type of violence that exists in this country.

I echo the sentiments of the acting leader of Fine Gael, Senator Finucane. It is amazing that throughout the period 1994 to 1997, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, repeatedly raised the issue of crime. Along with others, I believe that issue was inflated somewhat and added to by some organs of the media in order to create a type of situation whereby the rainbow coalition Government was accused of allowing crime take over. That was extremely unfair in the way it was executed in terms of Government policy.

What we have seen in both Administrations since then is zero delivery. The Minister who replaced the then Minister, Nora Owen, did very little to reverse that trend. If the Government does for tourism figures what it did for crime figures, tourism will be a profit making industry. This will be a huge reverse in fortunes because the figures we have seen in terms of crime are startling to say the least. We have a Minister who is content to issue flowery press releases and who takes no action.

It is extremely disturbing that in the first six months of this year, according to health experts, over 10,000 elective surgical, medical and diagnostic treatments have been cancelled in hospitals throughout the country. Given the recent creation of the Health Service Executive and the appointment of Professor Brendan Drumm as chief executive officer, there is a question mark over who is accountable. It used to be the Minister but now we are told it is Professor Drumm. Where do we go when we want political accountability? It is extremely disturbing that over 10,000 appointments of one description or another have been cancelled in the first six months of this year. It is also extremely disturbing for people waiting for heart by-pass and hip replacement operations. These are very important procedures for those concerned.

I refer to the issue raised by Senator O'Toole. There was a deafening silence from that organisation in regard to the Rossport five and I do not believe it is advisable for organisations of that nature to get involved in issues which are the jurisdiction of the courts and officers of the courts.

A pattern has developed recently where issues raised by those on my right and now on my left affect Departments in which Progressive Democrats Ministers are in office, namely, crime and health. That is no coincidence.