Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Bille seo, agus molaim an tAire Stáit. I have heard the Bill referred to several times as a sticking plaster solution, but there are only three things about managing any situation: keeping things going, coping with breakdowns, and doing new things. This Bill is coping with a breakdown in the system, which the Minister has inherited. I was looking forward to the Minister attending the House today but I will not criticise him on that account at this time. Perhaps we will get another opportunity to debate health matters with him. I hope we do but that is no reflection on the Minister of State.

Like Senator White, I think the Minister for Health will be a strong and reforming Minister. In 1987, Senator MacSharry's father had to break election pledges because of the state of the country. I will not rehash everything that has been said about the state of our health service but the Minister, Deputy Reilly, has to fix a broken system and he will have a big task ahead of him in doing so.

Following Senator Crown is a bit like following Beyoncé at the Glastonbury festival - one has no chance. I have a deep admiration for Professor Crown on a personal level, but Fine Gael did not promise to bring in the new system in this Dáil, even during the election campaign. It made it clear at all times that if it got back into power the Minister would introduce the Dutch model here. Apart from that, we all recognise Senator Crown's great wisdom.

On the situation we find ourselves in with non-consultant hospital doctors, Senator Burke hit the nail on the head - there is no proper career path for them. It should be conveyed to the Minister that we need further reform so that it will be seen as a proper career path. Traditionally, in popular culture, it was thought that non-consultant hospital doctors did the work while consultants were in the yacht clubs or on the golf course. That is the traditional, populist view of non-consultant doctors.