Arising from the Minister's reply that he would encourage people to go to private doctors——

Private accommodation.

——Private accommodation and private doctors presumably——

More money for the consultants.

——is it not a fact that this report to which we have referred makes the very valid point that direct charges in medicine tend to distribute medical services towards the relatively rich? Is not that what he has in mind? Is not that the only class he is really concerned with?

I do not subscribe to that statement.

We are getting into the realm of argument and I do not propose permitting it to continue. I am calling Question No. 20.

That is a fair question. It runs through all the services, whether education, housing, health or anything else.

The Deputy will please refrain from argument at Question Time.

I would like to suggest to the House that we will have an opportunity of debating these matters very fully when the appropriate legislation comes before the House this term.

It has not been published and we are waiting for it.

It will be published this term, in plenty of time for it coming into operation next April. The Deputy need not worry about that. The proposals which I am bringing in next April, having regard to the resources available to us, I think represent the best possible approach to providing reasonable medical and health services for our entire population at this time.

The worst in Europe.

In no way is it the worst in Europe.

One would have to travel very far——

Question No. 20.

The Deputy should visit some European countries and see what the actual position there is.

What would the Minister know about public wards?

I have often been in public wards. I have probably been in more public wards in my time than the Deputy.

But not in public beds.