Seanad report:Complaining that the Government had made promises to the people of Galway in the past two elections and had failed to deliver on them, Margaret Cox (FF) declared: "I will not stand here and say this is good enough for Galway."
Ms Cox, who interrupted Minister for Finance Brian Cowen several times during his response to the Second Stage debate on the Finance Bill, called for a vote on whether it should pass.
When the time for the vote came, cathaoirleach Rory Kiely said as the required two tellers had not been provided by the caller of the vote within the prescribed time, it could not proceed.
David Norris (Ind) told the chair: "You are saving the party."
Ms Cox said she wanted it put on the record that she had two tellers.
Earlier she said it was not good enough that, despite earlier promises, Breastcheck would not be available in Galway until October or November.
According to information given to her by the Department of Finance, the expenditure forecast for the BMW region would result in an underspend of €3 billion.
Mr Cowen said the west had progressed immeasurably. Galway was the fastest growing town in Ireland.
He accepted there were challenges. Senator Cox had mentioned the health services. "I was glad, as minister for health and children, to invest over €70 million to develop that area."
Ms Cox: "The paediatrics service will not get any money until 2011. We have no Breastcheck service. The Minister promised €70 million in 1997."
Mr Cowen said there were universities and multi-national companies in the west of the country. University College Galway was doing tremendously well in terms of research money because of excellent relationship with those companies.
Ms Cox: "They cannot get to the university because the road system is failing us."
Exchanges over the absence of Social and Family Affairs Minister Séamus Brennan from the Second Stage debate on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill on Tuesday night led to the suspension of yesterday's sitting for a short period.
Brian Hayes, Fine Gael leader in the House, had warned that his party would not participate in a "sham" Committee Stage debate if the Minister was not going to be present.
House leader Mary O'Rourke said the reason the Minister had been unable to attend was personal.
Mr Hayes said if she could not guarantee his attendance for the next stage of the debate, it should be adjourned.
Camillus Glynn (FF): "The Minister is ill. Does the Senator not know that?"
Mr Hayes: "He was in the House this morning. He was perfectly hale and hearty then. Stop that nonsense."
When Mr Glynn accused Mr Hayes of talking nonsense, Cat-haoirleach Rory Kiely suspended the sitting for five minutes.
Later Mrs O'Rourke said everyone was entitled to a little bit of privacy about their lives. That was the arena in which the explanation for Mr Brennan's absence was to be found.
"I do not intend to put anything on the public record. There are areas that you have to keep to yourself, and that was the reason that he was not here."
Mr Brennan was present for yesterday's Committee Stage debate.