Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I support Senator McHugh's words on examining an interconnector with the UK. Although planning permission has been granted for many green energy initiatives such as wind farms, they cannot get onto the ESB grid. Every politician has faced this issue. Only when we have an interconnector can we explore the possibility of exporting green energy to the UK or the Continent.

I agree with the sentiments on the publication of the Leas Cross report. I wonder what kind of advice the HSE took before this report was drawn up.

We should also have a debate on the health boards. Yesterday I raised the difficulties in the former western health region where transport was being curtailed. Although I thought the health boards were amalgamated more than two years ago, we still have turf wars around the country. In my area we are told we should go to Sligo General Hospital or Roscommon County Hospital and there is no problem bringing people from different health board areas into a major general hospital. However, when I want to get somebody from Roscommon, where there is no Alzheimer's unit, into the unit in Carrick-on-Shannon, I am told that the north-western health board deals with that separately from the western health board. When somebody goes to Sligo General Hospital and wants to get out to respite care, I am still told he or she must get respite care in the north-western health board area.

What is happening within the health boards? I want the Minister to ensure this is resolved. We politicians are sick and tired of dealing with issues that should be dealt with by those who are paid vast sums of money to do so.