Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

Senator John Whelan seems to be a convert on the road to Kildare Street in regard to the future of this House. He seems to have found his voice at long last, on which I congratulate him. Let us be clear that he will not deal with me in the way he dealt with the Deputy in County Laois.

On the issue of responsibility, this is a coalition Government of the Labour Party and Fine Gael and it has an agreed programme. The president of the Labour Party will be a candidate in the Presidential election. Therefore, he has a role to play in considering the future of Roscommon County Hospital which we defended in hard times. The Minister for Health, a former president of the IMO , negotiated the most wretched contract for doctors - the golden card - which broke the Department of Health. He knew what his status was and he told the people of Roscommon and Portlaoise what he would do. I hope Senator John Whelan got a roasting last night in Portlaoise, if he had the courage to attend the public meeting there. I hope the Deputies-----