Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome the fact that she will come in. We will get to vote on the amendment shortly.

The White Paper on universal health care, which is three years in preparation, will be launched later and I would like the House to debate it because according to the king of announcements, the Minister for Health, we now have free GP care for under-sixes but that is not happening and there was no consultation with doctors. The White Paper will say nothing about the cost of universal health care but the system will be in place in its entirety within five years. In addition, yesterday I raised other issues relating to the health service and the fact that is at breaking point in the context of front-line services. An urgent debate is needed with the Minister regarding what is going on the ground versus the airy fairy, aspirations in various announcements once a month.