Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

The Minister for Health needs to come to the House because there are sick people who are upset because of the sick promises that were made to them by individual Senators. The Minister must be held accountable. He came to the House to discuss the female genital mutilation Bill - important legislation that had cross-party agreement - but he refuses to come to the Seanad to discuss the issues about which people worry on a daily basis. It is about time his colleagues told him that straight instead of standing up for him. I support the motion by Sinn Féin.