Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

Yesterday and last week, I stated in the House that the Government's handling of the swine flu pandemic, a serious public health issue, was poor and that the HSE did not seem to have the crisis under control. I was ignored by the Government side and criticised by some of its Members who believe the HSE is doing a great job. However, I have a supporter, none other than the Minister for Health and Children who we want to bring to the House. She has clearly admitted that the swine flu pandemic is not under control. She referred to getting it under control in eight months time, but it will be all over by then. People will not need to be vaccinated next June because swine flu will have done its damage by then. It will peak in Ireland sometime around Christmas Day and early January, not next June. We have four to five weeks to get the pandemic under control. Otherwise, people will die, hospitals will be strained and swine flu will run rampant across society. I again ask the Leader for an urgent debate on swine flu and to arrange for the Minister to attend the House to explain to us and the people why she has failed to deal with this pandemic, even though we have known this crisis was coming since last June.