Closing on health crisis
The Leader thanked Members and said most contributions focused on the unacceptable waiting-list crisis revealed by RTÉ Investigates. He said the issue was longstanding and deeply affecting families and communities.
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh.
Comment on this
The Cathaoirleach is now like the Speaker in the House of Commons.
Comment on this
I thank the 22 Senators who spoke, including the Cathaoirleach, for their contributions on the Order of Business. Sixteen Members referred to the health issues raised last night on the programme "RTE Investigates: Living on the List". In our lives, families, homes and communities and as politicians we recognise that what was portrayed on the programme was unacceptable. Nobody, young or old, man or woman or young boy or young girl, should have to wait while in pain. The stories portrayed on the programme should not, as the Cathaoirleach said, be new to people. It has been an ongoing issue for far too long, despite the best efforts of many and because of the abdication of responsibility by some. If it does anything, the programme might perhaps help to focus minds. Senator Victor Boyhan was correct when he spoke about the need for synergy and a relationship between the Department of Health, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund. It is something that has been badly missing.
As Leader of the House and a former Chairman of the then Joint Committee on Health and Children, there should be one waiting list. There should be no duplicity, changing or alteration. There should be one waiting list that gives an accurate reflection of the figures which are far too high. It is about time we looked at the reality and time for accountability. Those tasked with running the health system must be held to account. While there is political accountability, there is no accountability among those asked to administer health system. It is time that happened. As someone who spent five years chairing the then Joint Committee on Health and Children and had a working relationship with many of those involved in the health system, my confidence in those tasked with running it is at an all-time low. I question their ability to lead it out of this debacle. In the budget we saw an increase in the budget allocated to the Department of Health and the HSE. When the party opposite was in government, when Deputy Micheál Martin ran out of the Department of Health, the budget was at an all-time high and there were waiting lists. It is not about apportioning blame to Ministers but to those who run the health system and manage-----