Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)

I support the call for the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children to attend the House for a debate on accident and emergency services. I believe that she will come gladly, and I hope that all Members will stay to listen to her thoughts on developments that have taken place in such departments around the country.

I have no doubt, when people fall over drunk or drugged on the street and someone telephones 999, that in many cases an ambulance takes them to an accident and emergency department. The blocking of such services is causing major problems for them. For example, in one of yesterday's newspapers, a patient reported a carry-on in an accident and emergency department with a drunken lout and what he did to a very elderly patient. I compliment the staff of such departments, who must receive credit for their work.

However, if the House is to debate health issues, I ask for the debate to include a report by a task force on sudden cardiac deaths which was published yesterday. The report could be tied in with the main health debate or discussed separately. As 4,000 to 5,000 people die suddenly each year, people want to take action and it is possible to do so to prevent such deaths.