Phil Prendergast (Labour)

There are not many places about which we can say that. I know everybody works very hard in the HSE and some people on the front line suffer extraordinary difficulties at the moment with the moratorium on staff recruitment. It is having a serious impact in the delivery of some services. There has also been a major impact from the way doctors can be employed, and just last week there was a difficulty because there was talk of closing one of the main accident and emergency units in Cork because of a lack of doctors.

These are serious issues but the system in St. Luke's is working very well. We will press our amendment and I hope we will get an opportunity for reasoned debate before the amendment is accepted. We are not looking for the world and the Government's action will not save money; it will only put people at a disadvantage and make people who are already having a very difficult time in their lives unhappy. Those people with family members who have already passed on having been treated in St. Luke's will take great solace and comfort if we can retain this facility and keep it for what is good. We cannot say that about many places in the country.

I am very interested to see time is being made available this week for a debate on cystic fibrosis, and there is a need for a specialist centre that has not yet materialised. St. Luke's is a centre of excellence taking in the same old clichés on what is a centre of excellence. Such a centre is where people feel they get all their needs met in a holistic way. This unit and hospital provides for people and I ask that the House accept the amendment.