Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

It is not unusual to learn that a black market thrives during a recession. However, I heard about two cases last weekend that absolutely horrified me, where consultants in a midland hospital and a Dublin hospital are seeking cash payments from their patients. Will the Leader bring this to the attention of the Minister for Health and ask him to issue a directive in this regard? Obviously, patients are very vulnerable. They wait a long time to get on a list and when they do they are glad to pay up. However, this practice is unacceptable.

Finally, I learned this morning that Threshold has issued a good report on Galway city which indicates that almost 4,000 houses in the city are empty. This phenomenon is not unique to Galway but occurs throughout the country. It is a big issue and it is important that there be joined-up thinking on it.