I want to open up the debate on health care because it is important to state the position. There are 11 maternity units in the country.

Not for long.

I did not interrupt the Senator.

We are all big boys here.

The Senator should respect other Members.

There is nothing wrong with a little heckling. We are all professional politicians.

Is the Senator determined to continue to heckle everyone?

Yes, until the people are heard

There are 11 maternity units throughout the country, each of which employes three medical consultants, including an obstetrician and a gynaecologist. I have spoken to a medical practitioner who attended a conference recently at which it emerged that 20 medical consultants were employed at a unit in Denmark at which 3,000 babies were delivered each year. That is one consultant per 150 babies delivered.

There is no correlation between the number of deliveries-----

Senator MacSharry-----

It is not like cancer.

There is no correlation between the number of deliveries and the-----

In Ireland-----

That is a fact.

-----there is one medical consultant to every 500 to 750 babies delivered.

Will the Senator indicate when it is intended to close the relevant unit? Perhaps he might inform Senator Michael Mullins of when it is expected that it will be closed.

That is the basic position. If the Senator wants to discuss reports-----

A report was delivered to the Government.

-----he should remember that his party's leader, when serving as Minister for Health and Children, commissioned 125 reports. I do not understand, therefore, why he is referring to one report-----

Our leader banned smoking in public areas.

-----when his party leader commissioned 125 reports and did nothing about any of them.

Does Senator Colm Burke have a question for the Leader?

I do have a question for him. Let us have a debate about health care. Under Fianna Fáil's jurisdiction-----

Is it to my jurisdiction to which the Senator is referring?

I wish to comment on the fact that someone referred to the cost of drugs.

Would that be in the Sligo-Leitrim area?

Under Fianna Fáil's jurisdiction, the cost of drugs to the taxpayer increased. It is the taxpayer that pays for drugs, not the Government.

Who paid for the report to which I refer? Was it the taxpayer or the Government or did the Senator pay for it?

Under Fianna Fáil's jurisdiction, the cost of drugs increased from €560 million per year to €2 billion.

The Senator's time is exhausted.

What is his question?

Let us debate the matter and examine Fianna Fáil's record while we are doing so. The leader of that party was responsible for commissioning 125 reports, but the recommendations made in them were not implemented.

The most recent general election was held in 2011. Fine Gael is now in government.

The Senator should not be concerned about one report.

I am concerned about what it states.

Let us talk about the reality.

It was the Senator who referred to the cost involved.

I call the Leader.

What is Senator Colm Burke's question?

This is ridiculous. We are out of time. I call the Leader to reply.

On a point of order, I do not think that is fair. Several of us requested time and were told we could speak. The despicable behaviour of some Members should not interfere with this. I do not agree with it.

Time is up.

We need control in the House.

On a point of order-----

There is no point of order. I have called the Leader to reply.

On a point of order, the Cathaoirleach called two Government Senators, but he should have called on a Labour Party Senator next. We were next in line.

Does the Senator not know that the Labour Party is the junior partner?

What is Senator Mary Moran's point of order.

If the Leader is agreeable, our side of the House will happily agree to an extension to allow all speakers to contribute.

That is not a point of order.

I understood the time limit was 90 minutes, but we have had only 60.

The Senator should resume his seat.

He is bullying some of us into silence. That is not democracy and not good enough.

As we have had 55 minutes, I call the Leader to reply.

Senator Marc MacSharry is a disgrace - a thundering disgrace.

I call the Leader, without interruption.

Senator Marc Mac Sharry is in exalted company.

Can we, please, hear the Leader, without interruption?