Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise an issue which has nothing to do with banking inquiry but which is far more serious. At some stage, we must get back to the business of representing the people. Going back to the previous budget, in my view the health budget was cut to a point where it cannot function correctly. I ask the Leader of the House to bring in the Minister for Health, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Finance in order that the Seanad would represent the people by requesting that a Supplementary Estimate be made available to the Department of Health. Senator Crown raised issues yesterday, but the Department of Health, the HSE and the new hospital groups, between them are starting to grind the health service to a halt. It is essential that we move now, not after the summer recess and not coming up to Christmas when one will probably see an enormous slashing of services and closing of wards that will put people in extreme distress. These are the real issues we need to be dealing with. I ask that this happen as quickly as possible and that we go through figures and facts, some of which were raised yesterday. I am sure, if one goes through this Chamber, we will all be able to itemise areas of services not just where there are waiting lists but which have stopped. The sooner we get back to real business of representing the people, the better.