Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the proposal on the Order of Business that has been made by Senator Mooney.

I do not think the Minister for Health is doing his job. He has been a complete failure since he was appointed. I know he was put in there to bury his political ambition to become the leader of Fine Gael. The Taoiseach's decision to appoint him to the Department for Health has been very successful from that perspective because he has proven to be a complete and utter disaster in that role. This was evident once again last night when it was decided to postpone elective surgery that was due to take place today. People were waiting and ready to have their operations, but they were all cancelled because the HSE and the Minister would not make an agreement with Liam Doran and the nurses. They subsequently got a great deal, and now there are claims coming in. I heard Mr. Bell of SIPTU on the radio today saying that the ambulance drivers, attendants, doctors and everyone else he represents who is involved in accident and emergency all want whatever the nurses are getting.

I will put this into context. The former Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, and the Taoiseach closed the accident and emergency unit at Roscommon acute general hospital. If that unit were available now - it was very successful when it was open - it would take pressure off Galway. Its closure is one of the greatest failures of the Government. The people of County Roscommon were lied to and betrayed by those who gave a commitment prior to the 2011 general election. The commitment in question resulted in the election of two Fine Gael Deputies in the Roscommon-South Leitrim constituency. Given the chaos that will ensue in the future in the whole hospital system, the Minister would be better engaged going to the accident and emergency department at University Hospital Galway and other such departments throughout the country to study what is happening on the ground and to see how things can be improved. There is no reason a patient who needs attention and immediate treatment cannot be brought directly to a bed in a hospital if a doctor feels that person should qualify. That is happening without going through the accident and emergency process in some hospitals where there is a relationship between the consultants and the general practitioners.This is an old system which needs to be changed but the Minister will certainly not change anything. It is a complete failure on his part to have allowed the strike to be settled last night when so many people were waiting for surgery today. It is an absolute disaster and will lead to further damage to the health service.