Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, I would like to extend my sympathy and that of the Fianna Fáil group to the residents of Paris and the people of France on the burning of Notre Dame cathedral last night.I presume most of us have spent some time in Paris and photographed the cathedral which is one of the most iconic churches in the world. It is a real shame that it has burned down. I hope it will be rebuilt at speed.

I would like to comment on the announcement made by VHI that it will cover the cost of some high-tech drugs for its private cancer care patients. However, some of the drugs will not be available to cancer patients being treated in the public healthcare system. As someone whose family was struck by cancer, the announcement is sickening. It is unfair to think patients who are members of VHI will receive a different level of treatment. We have always held ourselves up as having one of the best cancer strategies and there was fairness when it came to cancer care. Oncologists are telling us that, from tomorrow, for patients suffering from the same illness, some will receive high-tech drugs, while others will not. That is hugely unfair. I ask the Minister for Health to comment on the matter as it is a source of huge concern.

I wish to discuss the issue of corporate governance. Obviously, we have all been fascinated by the goings on in the Football Association of Ireland, FAI. We learned that its own auditors had reported it to the Companies Registration Office, CRO, for breaches of accountancy reporting standards. The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, ODCE, probably will come on board. For other organisations, we must ensure the ODCE is properly resourced to deal with these issues when it comes to investigating individuals in the context of corporate governance. The spotlight is on the FAI, but there many organisations of this type in the country. The ODCE has a long list of cases to deal with, but it is incumbent on us to ensure it is properly resourced to deal with the fallout from the discrepancies in corporate governance.