Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Ó Murchú on both issues.

I ask people to be careful when speaking on the tragic issue in Galway. In regard to maternity services, the number of deliveries has increased from 54,000 to 74,000 per annum. Ireland has the lowest perinatal mortality rate and the lowest maternal mortality rate in Europe. In fairness to doctors and nurses, everyone is on tenterhooks with the direction of the public debate. We need to be fair to everyone in dealing with this issue. We must exercise caution. We should await the outcome of the inquiries rather than commenting in public on the way the issue is being dealt with. Doctors and nurses are very concerned about the way this matter is being dealt with in the public domain. Everyone in hospitals works very hard at all times to protect the patients under their care.

I visited Gaza four weeks after the attack in December 2008 and January 2009. I referred to it about six weeks ago in this House when I stated that once the American presidential election would be over, hostilities would increase. That is now coming home to roost. That is what happened in December 2008 and January 2009. We need to be more decisive. I agree with Trócaire on this issue. This matter has gone on unchallenged for too long. We will see an increase in hostilities again because of the forthcoming elections in Israel. We cannot afford to stand idly by. Gaza is an area of land similar to an area from Cork city to Youghal measuring ten miles wide by 35 miles long. Some 1.5 million people are locked in that land mass. That is how it has remained for a long number of years. The situation has remained unchallenged. We should not be afraid to say enough is enough. What is happening is not right and should not be tolerated.