Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Buttimer's call for a debate on the possibility of health services reconfiguration in the Cork and Kerry region. The HSE's report in this regard is causing great concern in the town of Mallow and the wider north Cork area due to the possible impact on Mallow General Hospital.

I support the call for a broader debate on the political circumstances in which we find ourselves. We must all acknowledge that only 55% of the people voted last Friday, the vast majority of whom expressed very strong dissatisfaction with current Government policies. We will leave the debate on that for another time, however. We are also obliged to reflect on the fact that approximately 45% of the people cast a vote of no confidence in all of us by deciding not to vote. We must learn a lesson from that and respond.

There is a great economic crisis and the people's future is at grave risk. Some 400,000 people face unemployment. The country's finances are in absolutely shocking order and we all face a huge political challenge to respond. This House is the forum in which to have substantive debate on the political and economic choices facing the country. In the Dáil, Members will go through the motions in the coming days in a party political way, but in this House we should avail of the opportunity on every possible occasion to have serious and substantial political debate on the choices we face. If the people gave us any message last week, it was that they want political leadership. Those who did not vote obviously see no political leadership in this House or the other House. We have to respond to defend our country, our economy and democracy. Let this Chamber be the fulcrum of economic and political debate on the choices and challenges facing us. We will all be able to wear our political colours but we urgently need that debate.

I congratulate all my colleagues who fought the good fight, particularly former Senator Kelly who is now a Member of the European Parliament. Will the Leader consider doing what we did during the last Seanad when all the Irish Members of the European Parliament came before us to report on their work and to respond to our queries and concerns? I hope that in the next few months we will begin that process of re-engagement with Members of the European Parliament. It would be an opportunity for Alan Kelly and others to take on board our views and concerns and we will hear what is going on in Europe.