Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

Over the years, we have held many debates on rural dwellings. Each of my colleagues in the House will be aware of derelict houses, many of them old local authority houses, throughout the countryside. Will the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, attend a debate on this matter in the House? Many people who would like to live in the countryside have been denied planning permission for many reasons. However, lovely, old stone houses are going to rack and ruin. Local authorities should acquire them and sell them to people who want to live in the countryside.

I must agree with Senator O'Toole regarding the debacle at Tallaght General Hospital. As someone who worked in the health services for many years, it is clear that people are not doing the jobs for which they are being paid. There is no point in pointing a finger at the Minister of the day, whoever he or she might be. It is clear that people in administrative and professional positions who have responsibility for the taking and reading of X-rays must ask questions of themselves. What has occurred is not right. It was a systemic failure, in that people are being paid to do jobs they are obviously not doing.