I realise that the Leader will not accept the amendment to the Order of Business, but I ask that the Minister for Health come to the House at some stage to nail once and for all the scaremongering indulged in by Senator Marc MacSharry this morning. Together with two Independent Deputies representing Galway and Roscommon, he seems to thrive on peddling half-truths and inaccuracies and frightening people. I would have expected Senator MacSharry to get his facts right before coming into the House.

I will give the Senator a copy of the report. I am only reading out what the Government has written.

Senator Michael Mullins to continue without interruption. I have a long list of Members wishing to speak.

He stated on the record of the House that I was on local radio yesterday-----

It might have been today.

-----clarifying the situation in regard to Portiuncula Hospital. I was on the radio neither yesterday nor today, because I would not dignify with a response the type of scaremongering and nonsense that was being put out-----

The Senator should go on the radio tomorrow, after he has read the report.

Does Senator Michael Mullins have a question for the Leader?

Yes, I do, but I wish first to note that I was particularly pleased with the response I received to my queries yesterday from the CEO of the west and north west group of hospitals.

Did he say nothing would happen before the elections?

He said the situation would be absolutely clear.

We will have to wait until after the elections for that.

Senator Michael Mullins should be allowed to speak without interruption.

I would appreciate the same respect from Senator Marc MacSharry that I gave him.

Senators, please. Will Senator Michael Mullins put a question to the Leader?

Mr. Bill Maher made it absolutely clear to me that no service reconfiguration options had been recommended or approved by the board of the west and north west hospital group or by senior management. Feasibility studies have not even been carried out. Speculation at this early stage in the process is unhelpful and upsetting to patients and staff.

It will be upsetting to them to find out after the election what Fine Gael's attitude is to maternity services in the north west.

Please, Senator. The Senator has spoken on this issue at length.

People have to be told.

On a point of order-----

Last Friday a meeting took place in my local hospital-----

Senator Mary Moran is raising a point of order.

Surely the Senator should be allowed to divulge what he knows. This is not a crèche, and some of us worked very hard to ensure the Seanad was retained.

That is rich coming from that side of the House. The Government tried to throw out the Seanad as a political gimmick. Now it will not tell the people that it is going to close maternity services, because there is an election next week.

I am pleased to tell the House today that different models, including midwife-led units co-located with existing----

This poor man has been told by his colleagues, "Don't worry. Portiuncula is sound." In fact, the report shows that Portiuncula is finished for maternity services.

The Senator is going to be the cause of some of his colleagues not getting to speak on the Order of Business. We are running out of time.

I am sure they will gladly allow me to speak on an issue such as this. The people have to be told the truth about maternity services in the north west. My colleagues can speak tomorrow.

I ask the Senator to have respect for the Chair and the House.

I make no apologies for putting on the record that mothers in the north west are being discriminated against reprehensively by the Government. It is being done in secret and cynically before the election next week.

Will the Senator, please, show respect for the House?

Will the Government have respect for people in the north west?

I call Senator Michael Mullins to conclude.

I am pleased to share with Senator Marc MacSharry the fact that Portiuncula Hospital will not only retain its obstetrician-led service but is also being considered for a midwife-led service. Two new obstetricians will be appointed there in the near future.

Not according to the Fine Gael report.

I have called Senator Fidelma Healy Eames.

It is important that the truth of this issue be put on the record of the House. I am located in Galway west and have received calls regarding the Portiuncula issue. There is a fear that the service might be lost. I have no doubt there is a report on it, but perhaps it is now an obsolete report.

It is obsolete since February.

I have asked the Senator to show respect for the House.

I am saying I do not know whether it is or not.

I am telling the Senator that it is.

We need to get to the truth.

Senator Marc MacSharry does not know the truth.

Yes, I do.

For that reason, the Minister, Deputy James Reilly, must be brought before the House to answer these important questions. Very soon Ballinasloe is going to be closed down entirely. Its industry and health services are gone-----

That is absolute rubbish.

The maternity services are gone.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames to continue, without interruption.

I am on the side of Ballinasloe. Unless the truth is spoken in the very near future by the Minister with responsibility for the relevant portfolio, there will be no way for us to know where we are going.

It was stated.