I thank the House for the opportunity to address the major crisis that exists in our health system in terms of a lack of services and ward closures. One year after the general election, many of the major issues in our health system have not been addressed in a planned and coherent manner. Successive Governments have failed to provide the necessary infrastructure to support vulnerable citizens.
I will not accept any excuses today. I am demanding the elimination of all health, disability and social service waiting lists within a three year period. This can be achieved through prioritising public spending and using the money more effectively. We also need accountability from our decision-makers. The reality is that not enough money is being spent on health and disability issues. The Government has admitted that waiting lists will not be eliminated. Despite its promise to grant 200,000 additional medical cards, not one has been issued. There is an employment freeze on 800 jobs in the health service, 300 beds have been closed and all Dublin hospitals are facing a shortfall of more than €100 million this year. In addition, the Minister and Government are sitting on their hands during a strike by the public health doctors. The Minister should pay them and let them get on with their jobs.
People are angry and they are sick and tired listening to and waiting for health reports and strategies. They are demanding action and real solutions to the problems that exist. The health system is sick and we all need to work together to make it better.
We are also faced with the nightmare scenario of people with intellectual disabilities. Some 1,711 people are awaiting residential services, 861 need day-care services and 462 people are without any service. Parents and service providers at St. Vincent's centre on the Navan Road and at St. Michael's House in Ballymun are crying out for funding and proper services, as a matter of right. This simply is not good enough. This is the Minister of State's watch.
It is a disgrace that the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, when discussing our health services on "The Late Late Show" last Friday night made no reference to the crisis that exists for families of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Shame on him. If he was serious about dealing with this problem, he and the Government would introduce a supplementary budget on health and disability issues. I would support such a motion. The Minister can do it. The Cabinet was able to find the €42 million required to bail out the Minister for Education and Science. Why can it not come up with a creative idea to fund our health and disability services and eliminate waiting lists once and for all? With the right political will, it can be done. It will take courage and vision and will require tough decisions in the interests of the poorer sections of our society, a just society for which we all work; it is not just an economy.
It is time to stand up to the bully boys and girls in the House and tell them to keep their extreme economic brands of politics to themselves. The health budget is more than €9.158 billion and staff costs are put at €5 million. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to know that we are not spending enough on frontline services such as beds and accident and emergency services. The Minister should discuss that with his French and Spanish counterparts the next time he meets them at an EU meeting.
Last week, 25 patients had to await admission in the accident and emergency department of Beaumont Hospital. That happened on just one morning. That number will soon rise to 50 or 60 patients. The in-patient waiting list at that hospital is 2,513 and for the Mater hospital it is 2,167. This is the real state of our health system. It is not acceptable and this Government must act now.
