Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

That has been known to happen.

I have listened to the Government side as to who must take the blame for the crisis in accident and emergency services. Senator Feeney referred to the doctors, the unions and the nurses as part of the problem because they resist the best efforts of the Tánaiste to implement change. Senator Daly mentioned as many more. When the Tánaiste took over the health portfolio, she blamed departmental officials. The Department has no friends left to carry out the services people need so badly.

The Tánaiste said her ten-point plan would solve the problems in accident and emergency services. We are still waiting, even though the Tánaiste has been at the Cabinet table for ten years. This is not all new to her because there have been serious problems in each of the ten years.

The Minister of State can judge for himself the problems in accident and emergency services in University College Hospital, Galway. In the past two years, 60 beds have remained permanently out of service. The reason for this is best known to the management of the hospital. The same ward is never out of commission for a long period. We are supposed to believe it is closed for decoration but, when it re-opens, the paint has not changed. All it would take to release the 60 beds, which would have a major impact on accident and emergency services, would be 50 units of personnel. The Tánaiste knows that and has bobbed and weaved on numerous occasions, as have the Fianna Fáil Ministers from the constituency.