Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, namely, that the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, come to the House to account for his supreme ability to talk the talk and inability to walk the walk. The latest debacle is the complete abandonment by the Government of its plan to introduce universal health insurance, which has been Fine Gael policy since 2007 and Labour Party policy since 2001. Minister after Minister promised the plan would be implemented. Meanwhile, queues are lengthening and cancer patients in the north west who are in high-risk categories are unable to get appointments. When I raised this issue this morning during Commencement Matters, the Government could only muster a Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Such is the priority it gives to these matters.

The supreme commentator, the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, tells us that everything is still on track and going to plan, despite the Government's complete abandonment in the past 24 hours of one of the core and sacred elements of its five-point plan, namely, universal health insurance. In 2013, the Fianna Fáil Party commissioned our own research from health economist, Dr. Brian Turner. We highlighted and advised the Government that its plan for universal health insurance was not possible and would cost more. However, the Government pressed ahead with its plan, which the Taoiseach stated his Government intended to deliver. When it was put to him as to how he could do this in a time of crisis - the Minister argues now that it is no longer possible to do so at this time of crisis - the Taoiseach stated, "I respectfully disagree. Real reform only occurs in times of crisis."

I have no doubt that another five-point fantasy plan will be put to the people to buy the next general election, as occurred during the previous general election campaign. This time, however, the Government will not be able to follow a plan produced by the late Brian Lenihan and may find itself on its own.

It is important that the Minister for Health comes to the House to account for the total mismanagement of the health service. The Fine Gael Party was right to shaft the previous Minister for Health. Great hopes surrounded the capabilities of the current Minister. As a physician, I am sure it galls him to have to put up with the level of mediocrity that surrounds him at the Cabinet table and the lack of resources that have been provided. The former and current Ministers for Health and the Taoiseach are in complete denial and deluded when they speak of being vindicated and everything being very much on track. I did not believe it possible to trump the headless chicken approach associated with the performance of the previous Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly. In the past 24 hours, however, we had the comedy of the current Minister describing the fiasco of universal health insurance as a vindication. We must press to ensure he comes to the House today to account for himself.