Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I compliment the producers of "Prime Time Investigates" on their programme last night, which was followed by a very comprehensive analysis on "Questions and Answers". This morning, I listened to the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Tim O'Malley, admit on my local radio station that he was embarrassed by the programme, as he should, given that he has been in office for longer than four years.

Senators on this side of the House are constantly told that 1997 was a pivotal year in political history but I remind Members on the other side that they have been in Government for the past nine years. The Tánaiste has recently admitted that an emergency exists, so the Government should get on with resolving the matter. We do not want to be described by people from outside this jurisdiction as a Third World country in respect of accident and emergency services.

Last week, I received a telephone call from a person whose 88 year old father was on a trolley in Limerick Regional Hospital for more than 24 hours. He asked me if I could do anything to help, so I visited the accident and emergency department at midnight and spoke to the person in charge, who was extremely co-operative but drew my attention to other elderly people on trolleys and said she was ashamed of what she saw. Regrettably, as there were no spare beds in the hospital, a commitment could not be made to facilitate the person's father. Meanwhile, Professor Drumm claims we need better primary care services instead of extra beds. I remind Members of the bureaucracy in the area of nursing home care and subventions. We must do away with these impediments and ensure elderly people are facilitated.