Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

There has been a U-turn on health policy by the Government. While no one is reforming the public health system, it is being given over to the private sector which is not regulated by the statutory bodies established by the Government. These are the matters to be debated in the House rather than paying lip-service to an unholy mess in the health services. I know of many patients waiting since last February for basic diagnostic tests in one hospital but who cannot get them because the steriliser is not working. The Members on the Government side need to open their eyes to what is happening in the health services.