Order of Business - 8th February 2007

Order of Business - 8th February 2007
Mr. Norris: I second Senator Ross’s amendment. I point out to Senator O’Toole that there is indeed a nursing degree in Trinity College and an extremely good degree it is too. We should not apologise for that, it is yet another contribution the University of Dublin makes to the life of this country.
We, however, do not always make a good contribution to the debate on health. The Government side lectures us for always attacking the Minister for Health and Children. I have not done that and we should not be tarred en bloc. Yesterday I went to the briefing by the HSE in this complex and it was one of the most refreshing, honest, clear and professional briefing sessions I have ever attended. The HSE members were uniformly excellent, with Deputies from all parties and areas asking about their hospitals and patient treatment and they were given immediate, clear answers.
I disagree strongly with Senator Finucane. We do no service raising these items culled from newspapers that are ill-informed and plainly inaccurate. The question of this scanner was raised at that HSE meeting and the response given was that a sophisticated machine has been acquired, it is on target in terms of delivery and it is being stored for safety awaiting the proper technical adjustment which is required.
Mr. Finucane: That is nonsense.
Mr. J. Phelan: Rubbish.
Mr. Norris: The HSE staff said this article demoralises people in the hospital and the person from Fine Gael accepted the answer to that question. If the Senator had been there, he could have asked a supplementary question about it.
Mr. Finucane: Rubbish.
Mr. Norris: We should have a proper debate on health where we stop point scoring.
Mr. Finucane: It is not point scoring, it is reality and the Senator knows that.
Mr. Norris: We would be well served to have the Minister in the House but not for this type of cheap point scoring. I deplore it.
Mr. Finucane: The Senator has been cloistered in Trinity for too long.
(11 o’clock)
Mr. Norris: I also agree with my colleagues on this side of the House about the appointment to the Rail Procurement Agency. We have not been well served in this instance. In appointing a national procurer, we should be entitled to a broader consideration of the available talent. Why go for the obvious financial bozos who seem to be slick in this area rather than somebody like Mr. Cormac Rabbitte, who knows what he is talking about and who developed the Dargan project? I introduced Mr. Rabbitte to the Leader while she was Minister and we also met Professor Melis from Madrid, who showed us how projects could be implemented. Senator Morrissey is another of the leading people in this area. Let us appoint somebody who knows what they are talking about rather than a fat cat from the inner circle.
Could we invite the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs before the House to explain the rapid response corps? It may be a worthy initiative but I am somewhat concerned that we are spending €5 million of taxpayers’ money on recruiting for the UN. Irish agencies such as Concern and Goal already work in the same area and I would hate to think they are to be undercut. Let us put these concerns to the Minister of State.