I welcome the publication of the figure of €27 billion in the next few years and eagerly await all the pre-election promises. One hopes the litany of broken promises does not follow if the Government is returned to power. One of the details that has emerged is that there will be approximately €18 million for the refurbishment of Garda stations. It has not been missed by the public that the closure by the Government of 139 Garda stations throughout the country has saved just €500,000. I am sure the Leader agrees that the value of rural Ireland far outweighs the price or cost of €500,000 and I wonder if the capital plan will adequately address the contempt with which the Government has pursued the facilitation of rural decline in the past four years. I very much hope it does because the €30 million announced at the National Ploughing Championships last week was nothing short of an insult to the people of rural and regional Ireland.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, come to the House to explain to Members and the people of Ireland who is driving the bus in the Department of Health. It seems that, reminiscent of the Fennelly report, he intends to threaten the sacking of individuals if improvements are not made in the numbers on trolleys throughout the country. August, traditionally a quiet month, saw the largest number of patients on trolleys throughout the country. One wonders how many there will be in January, unless the Government takes the reins, stops being a commentator on the Department of Health and realises that it is the Minister who is supposed to be driving that bus. There has been a 400% increase in those waiting for more than a year and a 65% increase in my county of Sligo. The Minister, instead of threatening to fire people who are on his staff, should consider his own position and perhaps resign because the buck stops with him.

I wished him well on the day he took over here because I felt he had the ability and the direct speaking style to get to the bottom of the problem. Sadly, as a commentator this man is much more of a pundit than a player.

Which one is the Senator?

He is on the pitch. He needs to perform. He should not be threatening staff that they will be fired. Then again, this is what the Taoiseach has done with regard to-----

Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?

I ask that the Minister be brought to the House today. That is the amendment proposed to the Order of Business. The Minister should address his failure to acknowledge his position as the person in command of the health service. I would like him to outline for us what will be done to mitigate the disaster which has seen record numbers on waiting lists and trolleys in recent months.