Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

I am somewhat surprised by Senator McFadden. The Cathaoirleach is a former member of the midland health board. I will start with one of Senator McFadden's points, namely, that of visiting committees. A few years ago just before the introduction of the refund of nursing charges legislation, I told the House that people would come out of the woodwork who had never put one foot past the other to visit their relatives. This is still the case. At the time, I received a telephone call from a high-ranking health board official. The official told me that a woman went into a hospital in the mid-west to see her favourite aunt, her only relative. The woman wanted to ensure that she got her entitlement in 2005, but her aunt had died in 1989. As I would say in another forum, I rest my case.

As another member of the health board, Senator Cassidy will confirm that, in the main, psychiatric hospital residents' only contacts with the outside world were members of a visiting committee. Those elected and professional members reported to their boards, as the Cathaoirleach would be aware as a former board member and chairman, on the conditions in every psychiatric hospital, not just St. Loman's or St. Fintan's. The district, general and regional hospitals were all brought before the boards.