Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

It was with serious disgust that I heard yesterday on the news of the commitment to give €2 billion to Anglo Irish Bank of the €14.3 billion already committed. Everyone here has commended our wonderful former leader, Deputy Michael Noonan, as I do, but the bottom line and the point he made most ardently in the debate last night was that he was lucky in being the enviable position of being able to afford care for his wife, with thanks to the Alzheimer's Society also. What do we do in this country? We mismanage our finances. We bail out the banks, including Anglo Irish Bank, and give the new professor who will take over from Professor Drumm €350,000 a year to manage the HSE, not to mention the amount of money put into the black hole of the HSE, the Department of Health and Children and such bodies. Where is the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, this week? She was meant to be in the House to debate health matters. What is the story about this? I refer to the eminent professor who has developed a wonderful vaccine for breast cancer. Some 400 lives could be saved every year, but where is the money to invest in the vaccinne? The money will probably be used to bail out Anglo Irish Bank again.