Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Bannon's call for a debate on improving services. I was amazed to learn last week that the Minister for Finance took in more than €500 million in VAT on telecommunications. The consumer is not getting value for money. Although the telecommunications companies are privatised, the Oireachtas still has a role in ensuring there is a certain level of service. Being required to wait 45 minutes to report a fault on a line is not the service anybody envisaged when the telephone company was privatised. It is important that we debate this issue.

I heard a radio report that seven venues had been closed down by the Food Safety Authority for breaches in hygiene. Is it not a pity that the same standards do not apply to our hospitals? Two weeks ago we heard of a case where a surgeon performed an operation on a patient, unaware that the patient had MRSA. The hospital had not been informed of it when the patient was transferred there from another hospital. Last weekend, newspapers reported that an autopsy could not be carried out on a man because Beaumont Hospital failed to inform the Dublin city coroner in time. In England, an 87 year old woman successfully sued the state and won compensation for its failure to adhere to its infection control policies. We have the same policies in place but they are not being adhered to.

Professor Drumm has almost thrown his hands up in the air in defeat. While he has announced a new taskforce will be established, in November 2005 practices to combat MRSA were announced. Will the recommendations of the new taskforce replace the existing guidelines? People will unfortunately be forced to take the litigation route before they are taken seriously. Have we learned any lessons from the Army deafness claims in which solicitors got an unfair share? Will the Leader find out from the Department of Health and Children the status of the new taskforce? Why are those infected and badly damaged by MRSA being forced to hire solicitors in litigation with the final expense coming to the taxpayer when a redress scheme should be established?