Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I commend my Labour Party colleagues on tabling this timely motion. Members may be familiar with the film, "There's Something about Mary". There is certainly something about the Government's health policy. Government Members speak ad nauseam in this House about the failings of local hospitals and other aspects of the health service. There is a lack of political courage. We get fine rhetoric and empty talk but no political testosterone. I encourage Government Members to abandon their idle chit chat on the Government benches and to join us in voting with their conscience. They should vote for the people of Ireland. Patients are not consumers or statistics but people.

At a time of economic challenge, with €16 billion per annum being spent on health in the past ten years, people's health is being jeopardised because of the deficiencies in services delivered by the monolithic organisation that is the HSE. I do not blame the Minister, Deputy Harney, bur rather her colleagues at the Cabinet table. Fianna Fáil, the Progressive Democrats and the Green Party have abdicated responsibility. A quarter of all Government expenditure goes on health but we are not getting value for money or efficient delivery of services. There are grave implications in this for our aging population.

The Government amendment is one of the weakest I have seen in this House. What is the Government's fundamental objective for the health service? What is its overarching philosophy? Is it about care and service? It is not; it is about the core Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats slogan of privatisation and co-location. I challenge Senator de Búrca, the Green Party and Senator Callely, who are not members of this privatisation gang, to vote against the Government. They should vote for the people and the patients.

We need accountability. I agree the old health board system did not work properly but there was accountability. The new regional health fora are a joke. The Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews, should go back to the Minister and to the Department and urge that the regional health fora be given teeth to deal with issues. Currently, they have none. Management is playing ducks and drakes with the councillors, who have no power to question, interrogate and get answers. Reform in that regard is necessary.

There also must be accountability on the part of top and middle management of the HSE. Last week, Deputy James Reilly spoke in the Dáil about delivery of health services and the management of the health service. The legacy of this Government and the policy it supports is closure of local hospitals, growing waiting lists for operations, a freeze on recruitment, reductions in the number of home helps and care packages and the debacle in the children's hospital in Crumlin, where 120 staff are to be let go because of bad management. What does that say to the children and patients in this country? This Government does not care and shields itself with the HSE. Shame on it. It is not dealing with consumers or figures on a page but with people who deserve dignity and care, which they are not getting from this Government.