Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On this sombre day, I also pay tribute to Private Seán Rooney who tragically lost his life as a peacemaker. As Senator Malcolm Byrne said, he was part of our UNIFIL peacekeeping mission. We give thanks for Private Rooney and sympathise with his family. As Senator McGahon rightly and eloquently said, let us bring him home so that we can celebrate his life. We sympathise with his family and think of the injured soldiers who were with him as well.

This morning, the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, published a report on emergency departments in Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Limerick. It gives none of us any pleasure to ask that the Minister for Health come to the House as a matter of urgency for a debate on emergency department service provision in our acute hospitals. At a time when the health budget is €23 billion and we have increased the number of beds, including acute beds, in our hospitals, we see gridlock. More telling, HIQA is saying patients are not safe from harm. That is not good enough in a modern hospital system in Ireland. I ask that the Minister for Health come to the House in the new year.

On a positive note, I join Members in commending and thanking members of staff across the parliamentary community for their work and assistance to us during the year, especially the ushers, the men and women on sound recording and in the Debates Office who make us sound and look better, and Martin Groves, Bridget Doody and all the team in the Seanad Office. I also thank the Cathaoirleach for the patience and tolerance he has shown us in the Chamber and the very equitable manner in which he has selected Commencement matters.