Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I request the Leader to ask the Minister of State at the Department of Finance to inform the Seanad on the position in regard to the implementation of the recommendation of the report on the cost of motor insurance.We need a review of the status of the recommendations and the progress to date. What is the status of the Central Bank (National Claims Information Database) Bill and how can it be speeded up through the Houses? What part can we play in that regard? I would also welcome an update on the heads of the Bill for the fraud database legislation which is to be introduced. The legislation is urgently required. Despite the figures that are given to us about reductions in car insurance premiums, we all know from our constituency offices that there are still extortionate rates of premium being demanded of people for mandatory insurance. That must become a priority for the Government. It is a priority for many political parties, certainly for Sinn Féin. We urgently require the Minister to come to the House to give us a full and frank update on the status of the recommendations and the legislation.

We had a meeting with the Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, this morning on the investment that is needed in healthcare. We must listen to the IMO and to clinicians within the system. We do not need to bring in external consultants who have a hands-off approach to the system and pay them millions of euro. We must listen to people inside the system. The three nurses working in the accident and emergency unit in Mayo General Hospital could tell us what the solutions are. They know they are doing the work of seven nurses. The registered doctors know what needs to be done within the system. It is worrying to hear the IMO say that, unfortunately, the Government has shown little commitment to date to even the minimum investment required. The National Development Plan 2018-2027 provides for €10 billion for a number of major investment projects but they are not being done. We need a multi-annual investment plan to provide the 2,600 extra beds that were promised. We are wasting money all of the time because people cannot get their procedures and operations done because the hospital beds are not available. I call on the Leader to bring the Minister for Health to the House to specifically discuss the 2,600 beds.