Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I made this point yesterday and reiterate today that the people to talk to are the staff. The people the HSE should answer to are the members of the Joint Committee on Health and Children. As public representatives, we act as advocates on behalf of the people but we cannot get answers. That is not good enough. Does the Deputy Leader condone what the Health Service Executive is doing? Does he agree with its strategy? It is a failed strategy and it is time Professor Drumm came here to answer questions from us on behalf of the patients who are suffering. It is about time the HSE was put on a horse and ridden out of town. It has destroyed the health service. Government Senators might laugh at me but the people have suffered under the HSE and the Government parties condone it.