Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Can I propose that First Stage of the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014 be taken today? I also second the amendment proposed by Senator Marc Mac Sharry.

I welcome the statements, however belated, from Members on the Government side on the Guerin report and, in particular, the integrity of the whistleblowers. So much damage has been done to the process of whistleblowing by the arrogant condemnation and denigration of the courageous people involved in the past 12 months that it has undone a lot of their good work. I support the call for a debate on the Guerin report which clearly illustrates a serious level of dysfunctionality within the Department of Justice and Equality and, unfortunately, the management of the Garda Síochána. Of course, we would be fooling ourselves if we thought it stopped there because many Departments could be subject to the same criticism. I refer, in particular, to the Department of Health. I was appalled to hear the Taoiseach say at the weekend that he had only reached the realisation that so many elderly people who had spent their lives working for the country had been affected by the withdrawal of their medical cards. The fact that the a huge proportion of discretionary medical cards have been withdrawn has left them in an horrendous position. Anybody doing work in this or the Lower House could have told the Taoiseach this. I know - I am sure my office is no different from any other - that the matter has been a major bone of contention for the past 12 months and longer and the problem needs to be corrected. On the campaign trail it has been sad to see people in the autumn of their lives afraid of suffering bad health. The medical card was a source of comfort for them, even if they did not have to use it. A number of them have said to me that they have had to cut back on their medication and their pharmacists have confirmed that this is happening. They have noticed that people have cut back on their medication simply because they cannot afford it. The Government has done so much damage to the health services that it will not be undone for a decade or more. Not only has it withdrawn medical cards, it has attached excessive hospital costs to private health insurers which has led to a massive increase in health insurance premiums. As a consequence, there has been a haemorrhage from the health insurance industry. Therefore, we should invite the Minister to come to the House to have a serious debate on the matter. Last night when I was out canvassing, I encountered a couple of people who were seriously considering emigrating because their feared being in bad health and not being able to afford what was required. This is a crisis and I ask that the matter be addressed.