Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I would like the Leader to invite the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, to come to the Seanad. We have been raising the issue of Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin for a very long time. We all know of the very sad case of baby Joy who has a hole in her heart and narrowing arteries. Yesterday in my clinic I was visited by a mother of six children, whose youngest child, a seven month old baby, has two holes in his heart. His name is Aidan and he is on diuretics because he cannot be given a bed. His operation has been cancelled twice, on the first occasion because there was no bed available and on the second because of swine flu. I appeal to my colleagues to lobby the Minister because I have made several representations but have got nowhere. The level of stress and strain on the family is outrageous. There are five other children in the family. The baby cannot undergo physiotherapy because of the extent of the damage to his heart. I wonder where this is going to end. I have received representations about two babies and I am wondering how may other little children are suffering like this.

The other issue is swine flu. There were numerous debates yesterday on the national airwaves on the roll-out of the vaccine but I find it quite extraordinary that patients are being referred back to their GPs from the clinics when the GPs may not have the vaccine. The HSE has stated the vaccine has been rolled out but two GPs I have been in contact with today still do not have the vaccine, although they are prepared to give it. They have set up their clinics and staff to do so. As patients must wait for 20 minutes after they receive the vaccine, there is a significant logistic process in organising the vaccine. The Minister has remained quiet on the matter. I will not go on about Drogheda as I will leave it to my colleagues.