Order of Business
The Leader continued replying on the remaining items, welcoming Pope Francis, addressing the health-service concern raised by Senator Mullen, and defending the MetroLink consultation process. He then undertook to arrange debates on the Air Corps and car break-ins, while the chair’s gallery welcome closed the formal business; the final pleasantry and gallery welcome were incidental.
It is important to welcome Pope Francis and that he is given a céad míle fáilte to our country.
Senator Mullen raised a specific issue about a lady and our health service.
I will not get into a tribal response, but the Government is making changes. Rather than focusing on the political end, we should look at the management end. The Senator spoke about a triage nurse. I had the recent experience of having a family member in an emergency department. They had to wait for a triage nurse and had to wait for a doctor to discharge them. Having worked in the health system, as Senator Gavan did, I do not know why the nurse cannot discharge the patient. A nurse may have more competency than the junior doctor who has to do it. There is a management structure and a process that needs to be changed in our health system. We focus on the health system. We are spending over €12 billion on health. There is something radically wrong when the case the Senator outlined has taken place in our health system. I would love to hear solutions to that. We are spending more than €12 billion on our health system and yet doctors, nurses, catering assistants, porters, radiographers and others complain. What is wrong? The system is broken. That is why a cross-party committee produced the Sláintecare report. I agree it is time for solutions rather than coming in and blaming politicians. I do not think we should always just blame politicians. There is a management that is not working. Let us have an honest debate about our health system.
Senator McDowell spoke about the MetroLink proposal. The public consultation process will continue until 11 May. I read the remarks of Mr. Aidan Foley of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, who is open to hearing from anybody on the process. We are spending €3 billion, planning for the future.
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We have already spent €18 million on this model.
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If we did not spend it, the Senator would be complaining that he would be stuck in his car and could not go anywhere or there were not enough buses. There is a public consultation over a €3 billion expenditure on metro. I accept the Senator's point. If residents or business owners-----
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I am not speaking about the residents.
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----- in that affected stretch have issues, let us hear from them. Let us overcome the challenges. Let us work to ensure there is a process that is open and transparent, which takes on board the views of people.
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Are architects already working on it?
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I have no idea. I am not the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, but I would be happy to have him come to the House. Let us not always look for the Minister, Deputy Ross, to come in and be complaining about the poor Minister, Deputy Ross.
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He has become the guy the Senator wants to beat up in this House again.
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I take his serious point that if there are issues, they need to be ironed out and there needs to be consultation. However, there is public consultation. It is advertised and documented. Senators should view the metrolink.ie website.
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Nobody hires an architect to design a house and then has a chat about it.
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I hope Senator Craughwell does not watch "Room to Improve" about architects-----
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I also say to Senator McDowell that there are legitimate concerns which should be raised in the consultation.
Senator McFadden raised the wonderful service the Air Corps provides to the State. I would be happy to have that debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, after Easter.
Senator Horkan raised the important issue of break-ins into cars. Those who watched RTÉ's "Crimecall" programme last night will have seen some of the issues he articulated today covered on that programme. I agree with him that people need to be more vigilant, take care and take time. I would happy to have the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House to discuss the matter.
Senator Lombard raised the issue of fodder and the stress some farmers are facing. I would be happy to have the Minister, Deputy Creed, come to the House.
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Before we agree the Order of Business, I am sure the Leader will join me in welcoming some neighbours of his from Ballincollig who are in the Gallery.
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I will not call them senior citizens; some of them are not all that senior. I mention Larry Collins, Con Sexton, Charlie O'Toole, Dominic Twomey and Eugene O'Callaghan.
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I know the people in the Gallery. Some have been involved in the Cork county board and some of them in other organisations. They are most welcome.
I am not sure whose guests they are but it will be a very entertaining night ahead, I would suggest. They are very welcome.