David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Senator need not bother. I second Senator Humphreys' proposed amendment to the Order of Business.

I was not going to speak, but since the question of hospitals was raised, I will say that yesterday I was in St. Vincent's University Hospital and looking at the notices. Last year some 19,000 people failed to turn up for appointments, at a cost to the hospital of €1.5 million. We hear much squawking from the consumers of health services.However, I would like to say it is a very fine service but it is not well served by citizens in every hospital in the State routinely failing to turn up for appointments, particularly when, as in the case of St. Vincent's hospital, a text message is sent to remind the person of his or her appointment.