Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I want to raise the same issues that have been raised by Senator Bacik and others, beginning with Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. It is indefensible that the Government can deprive a hospital as important as Crumlin of necessary funding. Families with sick children are distressed enough and are going through a horrible time as it is. There is no justifiable defence for cutting funding for such a hospital. I urge the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Health and Children to attend the House to assure us that distressed families will not suffer further unnecessarily because of cutbacks.

We have debated the pension levy at length in this House. When that levy was introduced I called it a tax, which is exactly what it is, nothing else. The Government has been using a diversionary tactic in attacking members of the Judiciary for the past week because it provides a smokescreen. The time of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and other Ministers would be better spent in tackling the funding deficit in Crumlin hospital instead of criticising judges unnecessarily.