Alex White (Labour)

I support Senator Fitzgerald's call for a debate on cancer services. Political accountability is a fundamental part of this discussion and Senator O'Toole touched on this, the notion that politics should be taken out of politics, in other words, that difficult issues should be taken out of politics. While the Taoiseach is bemused that people wish to politicise the issue, the question of health service funding and resourcing is a political one. Is there another way to describe it? Money for a serious public service was voted by the Oireachtas and the HSE, having been warned some time ago, knew of issues with the hospital equipment. The Taoiseach, members of the Government and all parties to the Government have a political responsibility to account to the public and to the Houses for what is happening in the health service. For that reason, I support the call for a debate in this House. Ministers can go on radio and television and make themselves available for debates, and if this House is to be relevant, I see no reason a Minister cannot come here and deliver political accountability for an issue that is important to people's lives.

Senator Callely raised the issue of political accountability when he asked about the Health Service Executive and who is responsible and in charge. The HSE was established to ensure efficiency in the management of health services. This essential reason was backed up by concerns and allegations about local councillors. It was never supposed to be an alibi to allow the Taoiseach or the Minister for Health and Children to say the issues are not their doing but somebody else's. The Taoiseach has said that and Members of the Government have suggested that certain health matters are not matters for the Government. The Leader of the Seanad has also said that such issues are matters for the HSE. Although this may be true day to day, Ministers should account for themselves in this House. If they can do it in the Dáil and the media, they can do it here too.