Minister's talk 'no match for action'

The Minister for Health presided over a health system instead of a health service, Fine Gael spokesman Dr James Reilly told the House.

"The Minister talks a good game. Yesterday she talked a good game about not going off the pitch and she's done the same thing here again tonight.

"We expected no less. But if anything has become clear from the past few months, in Portlaoise and elsewhere, it is that talking a good game is not enough and it's no match for ministerial action."

He added: "Minister, you came to this department with a strong reputation as an achiever three years ago and no one will deny you your past achievements, but today is not about reputations - it's about the health of a nation and how the State, through the Department of Health and Children and the HSE, delivers that health care.

"In January of this year, you stated there would be no cutbacks in the health service, but in September you introduced them. You said the cutbacks would not hurt patients, but they did. And you have promised much, but you have failed to deliver." Worst of all, said Dr Reilly, they all saw the crystallisation of what health care under the Minister's stewardship meant.

"Nearly 600 women's files were being reviewed. As each of the 97 who might have a serious health issue were identified by the doctor and their files handed to officials to contact your HSE - which a cabinet that you were a member of designed and created - they decided that instead of contacting them as they were identified they could be left to be dealt with in job lots."

Dr Reilly claimed that loyalty to the system took precedence over duty of care to the patient, with the Minister's blinkered ideology bringing about "a despicable Orwellian concept".

Sinn Féin leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said that his party would support the Labour no confidence motion as well as tabling its own motion.