David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for bringing forward this Bill. It passed through the Seanad very quickly but that is not a reflection of the importance of the Bill; the cross-party support is an indication of the Bill's importance. It seeks to make the health services more efficient - which we all want - and make them more effective for patients and patient care. That is essentially what this is about. It is a step in the right direction. We will return to the wider debate about how we fund health services, including matters of entitlement and eligibility and cutbacks in health care. We have debated those matters several times in this House and we will do so again. As a step forward, this is a good one, and although it is long overdue, it is more than welcome.