Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

With regard to Senator Hanafin's comments, both bodies were established and their boards appointed by Ministers. As for the Irish Medical Council, half its members are appointed by the Government and the other half elected by doctors. It has nothing to do with statistics. It is the Government's job.

There is more hypocrisy in the House today. The only consistency shown by the other side of the House is in its criticism of the HSE. Yet, every time the House has a division on a health issue, Members on the other side fully praise the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. They cannot have it both ways.

The problems with the HSE go back to how the Government established the HSE and, in turn, failed utterly to reform the health services. I call on the Deputy Leader to have an honest debate on what is happening in the health services with homeless people dying on the streets, the lack of mental health services across the country and, particularly, the severe budget cuts coming down the track in the second half of the year.

The Government side claims it has nothing to do with it because it is the responsibility of the HSE. It is the responsibility of the Government. I am looking for honesty from Government representatives instead of speaking out of both sides of their mouths. There are problems with the HSE but the Government side refuses to acknowledge this. They claim the Minister for Health and Children is doing a great job. If she were, why are people dying in our hospitals because of hospital acquired infections? Will the Government side answer that question honestly?