David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader schedule a debate on the fair deal scheme and the availability of beds under the nursing homes support scheme, which was put in place a number of years ago? Figures released by the Health Service Executive, HSE, to Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, the Sinn Féin spokesperson on health, show that from 2009, when there were 7,850 fair deal beds, the number had dropped to 5,290 in December 2014. When the figures are broken down on a constituency basis, many counties have seen a very significant drop in the availability of beds under the scheme. Obviously, there is a problem and I ask that the Minister for Health be invited to the House to discuss it. There is also the situation of over 400,000 people waiting on hospital waiting lists. Many are waiting well over 12 months, even though the Government promised that outpatients would be seen in less than 12 months. One can see that some departments in hospitals across the State are worse than others, but the figures released recently by the HSE show that a significant number of people are waiting longer than the 12 months that was promised by the Government. I would appreciate if the Leader would arrange for the Minister for Health to come to the House to hear statements on these important matters.