Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I take pleasure in seconding the amendment. I welcome the Minister for Health and Children to the House. I am a great admirer of her and the determination and conviction with which she pursues the reform of the health service. I would not have been in favour of the break-up of the health board system but, as Senator Feeney stated, we are where we are. The HSE is in place and is substantially resourced. We can see that Professor Drumm intends to pursue reform with the same determination and conviction as the Minister.

At a personal level, my family and I have in the past year experienced the health service at first hand, from paediatrics to oncology. While we often choose to kick political footballs around both Houses of the Oireachtas, the frontline services of which I have first-hand experience are fantastic. However, that is not to claim all is rosy in the garden because it is not. Much work needs to be done. As I said, I admire the conviction of Professor Drumm and the Minister, Deputy Mary Harney, in seeking to do that work.

Despite the political bashing by which Senator Twomey seeks to score points in the House, the fact remains that no Administration in the history of the State other than the last two Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Administrations has done more in terms of investing and reforming the health service. This Administration, with the help of our colleagues in the Green Party, will be no different.

With regard to cancer services roll-out, I welcome the appointment of Professor Keane and the announcement of the eight centres of excellence. Such centres, which offer the full range of services and research so that people have the benefit of the newest possible treatments, must be the way forward. We would all like to have these centres in our back yards — I would like such a centre in Sligo — but this cannot happen. However, as there is a linkage between NUI Galway and Letterkenny, I ask that we would also maintain existing services at Sligo General Hospital and in addition have a satellite radiotherapy service with linear accelerators. This is possible and it would accord with Government policy under the national spatial strategy with regard to providing services for the people of the area. If there can be a link with Letterkenny, why not have a satellite link with Sligo also?

While I am not a health professional like Senators Prendergast and Twomey, it appears to me the general management of the health service needs to be addressed. The Minister and the senior executive of the HSE are seeking to achieve this. For example, among the types of expenditure postponed at present is the booking of hotels. Senator Fitzgerald alluded to the fact Professor Drumm will brief us in the Davenport Hotel in due course. I agree it is a disgrace that hotel rooms are being booked when facilities exist in the Leinster House for those coming to address us. This kind of expenditure is where we should begin to cut back. If circumstances have changed, people must change their minds. If cutbacks must be made, we must make them. However, frontline staff should be the last to be affected.

As Senator Feeney stated, Sligo General Hospital will play its part in what must be done. It it is a matter of great regret, however — I know I speak for Senator Feeney, the Minister of State, Deputy Jimmy Devins, and Deputy Eamon Scanlon — that it is frontline professionals who must be cut back in this instance. However, we will take our bit of pain in the interest of the long-term service to the people of Sligo and the north-west regional community.

It is the administrative side that must be addressed, for example, the booking of hotels and foreign travel that is not important to patients or the delivery of service in the front line. One can barely walk into a hotel in Ireland without seeing on the notice-board that whatever band is playing that night, the HSE has a number of rooms booked for interviews and so on. At the same time, state-of-the-art infrastructure is sitting idle — at Manorhamilton, for example — while we waste taxpayers' money on the rental of rooms and training courses. It is in this area rather than in the front line that we should seek to make savings.

Naturally, it is painful for those on the Government side to be forced to accept that the posts of some 30 nursing staff and five locum consultants are being cut back. I would prefer if this was not happening. Will the Minister clarify in what way the Department will be able to connect directly to the HSE in this regard or are we just policy-making while the HSE does as it will in terms of staffing?

To sum up, I welcome the appointment of Professor Keane and the announcement of the eight centres of excellence. I appeal in earnest to the Minister to do all she can to ensure satellite services, such as those being created in Letterkenny, will also be created in Sligo, while the existing oncology service and various other cancer services are maintained.

Much needs to be done but much has been done, as I have experienced at first hand in the past year. We should be responsible while criticising the health service and acknowledge that much has been achieved. We are in the process of the biggest reform the State has ever undertaken in this regard. I was initially a sceptic with regard to moving away from the health boards but I am prepared to give the process time. It has been ongoing for three years and, as Senator Feeney said, we should continue as we have and, hopefully, services will continue to improve in the way all in this House wish to see.