Seanad debates

Wednesday, 4 June 2008

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)

I join the acting leader of Fine Gael in calling for a debate on the health service. Last week messages of sympathy were sent to Senator Ted Kennedy but this morning we heard of another Ted Kennedy, a patient in the Mater Hospital suffering from some variation of motor neurone disease. He has been treated and has been fit to go home for the last two months but is unable to do so because of cutbacks in the health service which mean that he cannot be provided with the necessary assistance to adjust a breathing apparatus in the morning and evening. That is an extraordinary comment on the human aspect of this issue and also on the waste of resources as it costs much more to keep him in hospital for this amount of time, I would have thought.

I support Senator O'Toole on the question of the operation of the equality legislation. This is something that must be examined. A motion has been tabled in the name of the Independent Senators to examine the entire area.

On 22 May I referred to a situation where hedgerows were being sprayed inappropriately. The Leader indicated he would obtain some information for me, which I have not yet received. However, I have received a detailed confirmation and analysis of what happened, which I will make available to the Leader so that he can progress the matter further.

I ask the Leader to confirm that an invitation is to be sent to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. I raised this in the proper and appropriate way by writing to Senator O'Toole, our representative on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. He raised it and there was no opposition. In fact, there was general agreement from the leaders that this was appropriate. The Department of Foreign Affairs has no objection and it is now appropriate for me to raise this matter and ask the Leader to confirm that an invitation has been or will be issued.

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