Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join with Senator Whelan's call for a debate on the state of our health service. Many of us, in particular myself, have been critical of what I describe as a headless chicken approach. The Minister for Health pontificates on a regular basis about the strategic approach he is taking and promised free GP care would be rolled out by the last quarter of 2012 at the latest. We have heard much about universal health care. We have a manifesto and a programme for Government which pronounced the importance of keeping people in their homes yet we proceed to cut home help hours, thus increasing pressure on acute hospitals which are already running over budget. Senator Whelan mentioned some of that.

We have a hospitals capital programme that appears to follow the geographic trail of the Cabinet table rather than taking a strategic approach to the selection processes, as we have seen in Wexford and Kilkenny, and also the primary care centres. That is before we even get into the pre-election porky pies which Senator Kelly and I know all about in the context of cancer services in Sligo hospital or accident and emergency services in Roscommon hospital.

With regard to a chief executive officer of an interim health service indicating he has not been lobbied by any Government Minister, I would submit he was told, "This is what you are doing" because while not wishing to impugn that particular individual's character or professionalism, he did not apply for that job, was not interviewed for that job but was simply put into it by the Minister of the day, which is wrong. I agree with Senator Whelan that we need to have a debate here. We must begin to take a strategic approach and not the old Cabinet cronyism approach, and certainly not the headless chicken approach we have seen taken by the Minister, Deputy Reilly, so far.

Following the public consultation in this House on the issue of cancer, which was important and successful, the Leas-Chathaoirleach as we speak is launching a report that states that changes in lifestyle can prevent up to one third of cancers. It is important that we acknowledge that. The public consultation was a good day's work for this House and we have seen the fruits of it today. It would be worthwhile debating the report here at an early date if that were possible. It is important to acknowledge how it has been received when one considers that John McCormack, the chief executive officer of the Irish Cancer Society, and a former colleague and Senator who is head of advocacy, Kathleen O'Meara, are here for that launch.