I support what Senator Quinn said about the alarming current inflation rate. It was extremely depressing to hear an economic commentator on the news say, when discussing interest rates in Europe, that it was the inflation rates of Germany, France and Italy, which are about 1.5%, which would be taken into account when overall interest rates were being considered and that Ireland, with a current inflation rate of 4% and perhaps worse to come, would not be in nearly as satisfactory a position as those countries. Senator Quinn's words must be taken on board very seriously.
Changes were made to the membership of the Government today. A large amount of extra funding has been allocated to the Department of Health and Children. However, I hope the new Minister will address some areas which get very little publicity but which are very seriously affecting people's health. One example is the appalling situation regarding radiotherapy. We have the most out of date equipment in Dublin and Cork. I am sure complaints have been made to the Minister of State about the serious lack of up to date radiology and radiotherapy equipment in Cork. Sometimes the equipment is broken for weeks.
There is a crisis in some areas of the health service which have not been looked at. I will ask the Minister for Health and Children to address this. We start grand projects in the treatment of cancer, for example. The medical profession does what it can but one cannot make bricks without straw, as the Israelites were required to do. The same situation applies in the medical field if the tools to give the required treatment are lacking. I do not see why Irish patients should be in a more invidious situation than those in other countries. We have the expertise but we need the tools to fulfil the expectations of our patients.
