Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I agree with the calls from my colleagues for a debate on health care. Fine Gael has proposed an alternative policy which deserves debate in this House and I ask the Leader to facilitate this at an early stage.

The Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, came to the House some time ago to discuss the cancer strategy. She proposed at that time that we would have centres of excellence under the guidance of Professor Tom Keane. It all sounded very good and it reassured the people that cancer care in this country would go to new levels. I am sorry to report to the House - this is already in the public domain - that a regional hospital, Waterford Regional Hospital, which was recently studied by HIQA, which is responsible for standards in hospitals, failed in three quarters of the standards that were required of it in regard to cancer care. This is a very sad indictment of our health policy. The Government has failed cancer patients when we hear of studies detailing these levels of substandard care for cancer patients.

I ask that the Leader bring the Minister for Health and Children to the House to further discuss this issue. Vulnerable cancer patients cannot afford to be without adequate care, particularly in our regional hospitals. Although BreastCheck was promised countrywide, I heard today that people in the north west, which is many miles from my area, will not have the service, which is a scandal in this day and age. I ask the Leader to address this matter urgently.

I was horrified to discover recently that with the cap on public recruitment, clerical officers will not be covered for summer work, which will have a huge knock-on effect for patients in our hospitals. Waterford Regional Hospital, which caters for more than 450,000 people, does not have digital voice recording systems or an IT system to keep up with medical patient records. Everything is dependent on the clerical officer and if a new person comes in, the whole medical history is lost. That will have a knock on effect on waiting lists. It needs to be urgently addressed.

I formally second the amendment by my colleague for an urgent debate on job creation. I have called for this on a number of occasions in the House. Waterford and the south east has suffered as much as any other part of the country. I ask the Leader to facilitate that as soon as possible.