Sean Barrett (Independent)

I welcome the decision of the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, to reconsider the size of the proposed children's hospital. In a short number of years, this city has closed Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital, the Hume Street hospital, Dr. Steeven's Hospital, the National Children's Hospital on Harcourt Street, the Meath Hospital, the Adelaide Hospital, the Jervis Street Hospital, the Richmond Hospital, Mercer's Hospital and St. Vincent's on the Green. When ten hospitals close, the replacement building is so large that it cannot meet the planning restrictions. Will the Leader ask the Minister to include in his review a diagnosis of the Edifice complex, which seems to dominate hospital policy in Dublin?

Our next item of business is to establish "a European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice". This is an Orwellian title.