Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

I support the calls for a debate on health in the House. There have been certain improvements based on announcements in recent days particularly the winter bed initiative. We all recognise that the elderly are most affected by some of the delays in the health service, particularly in the winter months. I would welcome the Minister for Health and Children coming to the House to explain in detail the work the HSE has done over the summer to introduce policies to alleviate the problem, which is welcome. The Minister should also address the issues regarding procedures and practices in the delivery of capital projects.

Before the recess, I raised the issue of Ennis General Hospital and at the time I got a less than conclusive answer. Since then effectively nothing has happened. The HSE has continued with various layers of bureaucracy to put paperwork before the lives of people, which is not acceptable and I am sure the Minister for Health and Children would agree. I want to ensure we have accountability between the Department of Health and Children and the Minister, and the HSE. I would welcome the opportunity for Members on all sides, in a rational way, to deal with the various projects in the constituencies that most affect the people we represent. It is no longer acceptable for the HSE to put forward ideas about value for money or cost benefit analyses in order to place paperwork before people's lives or as a leg dragging exercise.