Ivor Callely (Fianna Fail)

I have listened with interest to my colleagues' comments on road accident statistics and road safety. We should not underestimate the importance of a good set of tyres on a vehicle and the level of inspection carried out on tyre thread depth. We are often stopped for insurance and tax checks or to be breathalysed, but it is very seldom that one is stopped for a safety check on the tyre thread depth. This is a crucial issue and I ask the Leader to raise the matter with the appropriate authorities. I also congratulate Ógra Fianna Fáil for highlighting this issue in its current road safety programme.

The issue of pharmacies was mentioned by many Senators yesterday. I raised the matter on the Order of Business previously and have also raised it at parliamentary party level. I welcome the support expressed for the community pharmacists. However, the substantive issue is the mechanism available to community pharmacists for engagement with the HSE. The pharmacists want a simple, fair and independent mechanism but the manner in which the HSE has responded to the service providers is unhelpful. Many Senators expressed their concern yesterday and used words such as "dictatorship", "unsatisfactory", "frustration" and so on, with regard to the actions of the HSE on the issue.

I have also heard many Senators being critical of the HSE on other issues and the record of this House speaks for itself in that regard. While the jury may still be out on the success of the HSE, the verdict on it is now generally known and accepted. The public have expressed it to all Members of this House. I ask the Leader to outline to the Minister for Health and Children the level of dissatisfaction among Members of this House with the HSE and to stress to her the need to revisit the structure we have put in place to run our health service.