Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I call on the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to annul the broadcasting levy. I speak with great experience of local radio. Politicians would not be able to get their message across to many people were it not for the dedicated service of local radio stations, which in my case are Midlands 103 and Shannonside. I fear for the jobs, the advertising revenue, etc. which will be lost if there is a threat to these radio stations.

I refer to the debacle in Tallaght Hospital. I disagree with my learned colleague, Senator O'Toole. Responsibility lies fairly and squarely with the Minister. She said on "Morning Ireland" today that she does not like to meddle but surely she is meddling by putting a moratorium in place and by causing staff reductions which will destroy our health service. There will be more fatalities and more people will suffer as a result. That is the reason Tallaght Hospital employed a consultant radiologist in January. Why did it not employ a consultant radiologist when the problem existed four years ago? We would not have had this debacle.

Confidence and assurance are absent. The Minister used these two words when she spoke publicly this morning and assured people the problem would be resolved. Why did she allow the problem to occur in the first instance? Why did she impose an embargo on staff recruitment? The problem is not the fault of staff in Tallaght Hospital. The blame lays squarely at the feet of the Minister.