Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The health plan for next year was published yesterday. We are due to have a briefing session in private this afternoon, according to an e-mail we all received from the Minister. We should have the debate and the briefing session in this House so the Irish public can know the full details of it and so the Minister and his officials can be questioned in full view of the public, online or in the news programmes. It is unacceptable that we are to have a meeting about this in the AV room. The Leader is obliged to organise a full debate on this service plan before Christmas so we can get the truth about what is happening. I have not even mentioned the accident and emergency department closures that are promised. I sincerely hope that Navan's accident and emergency department will not be among the closures that were announced yesterday.