Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General published a report yesterday on the great money pit that is and was the PPARS project in the Department of Health and Children. The immediate response of the Tánaiste to the report into this fiasco, which found that over €200 million was wasted on the system, which cost over 29 times the original estimate, was to state that lessons are to be learned from it. I wonder if the Leader of the House can ask the Tánaiste to come to the Seanad to explain exactly what she means by her comments. What lessons can be learned by a Government that has been in office for almost nine years, but is unable to manage a project of this nature?

There was no scrutiny of this runaway financial project. Consultants were paid expenses of more than €60 million over the past 18 months, as this train rolled along. The Tánaiste needs to come to the House to explain what she means by her statement that lessons have to be learned. I want to know exactly what lessons have been learned by the Government on foot of this latest financial fiasco.

As we enter the Christmas period, particular pressure is being placed on our emergency services. A report published yesterday indicated that untold pressure is being put on the accident and emergency departments of our acute hospitals. For example, staff who have to deal with people who are out of their minds with drink on a continuous basis are being hassled. I understand 30% of all injuries reported in accident and emergency departments are drink-related.

We must be much more pro-active in ensuring the safety of staff in accident and emergency departments. Charges should be imposed on those who are out of their minds from drink. As an initial phase wet rooms should be established. We should consider charging those people for the pressure they are putting on the health service. At this time of the year in particular, much more needs to be done to protect staff in those positions and to ensure the responsibility is meted out to people who inflict such financial loss on the health service.