Seanad report: The contention that there would be no hospital waiting lists within two years was described as an untruth by House leader Mary O'Rourke.
Mrs O'Rourke was reacting to Opposition criticisms based on a report rating the Irish healthcare system as the second-worst in Europe. She said that the survey conducted by a healthcare consultancy was riddled with inaccuracies.
It had apparently been claimed that a patient could not get a same-day service from his or her family doctor. "That is a total lie." It had not been her experience. The Opposition was salivating over what they regarded as a juicy morsel, but they were not justified in doing so.
Referring to Labour complaints that the very rich did not have to pay taxes, she said that that state of affairs had applied to a proportion of wealthy individuals in 2002. "I can't sit back like an old cow or something and take everything you are throwing at me without telling you that you are not telling the truth."
"No waiting lists within two years - what about that one?" Brian Hayes, Fine Gael leader in the House, said.
"They should not have told those ones either. They are untruths as well," Mrs O'Rourke said.
Joe O'Toole (Ind) said that the Tánaiste had maintained that the report had been based on out-of-date information, but the authors had stated that the department had refused to give them access to information. "Somebody needs to answer for that."
Mary Henry (Ind) said the report concerned the disgraceful situation in the health services. She did not take any comfort from people saying something about figures being out-of-date. "We might be behind Lithuania if we got figures that are up-to-date now."
John Dardis (PD), deputy government leader in the House, said it would be useful to have a debate on this report which had been prepared by a Swedish private organisation. In the view of quite a number of neutral observers, it contained many inaccuracies.
Dr Henry said she was furious over the non-publication by the Department of Health of a report on a unit dealing with metabolic disorders in newborn children. Two years ago, an investigation had been sought into the unit in Temple Street hospital which screened children from all over the country for metabolic disorders.
The report apparently expressed disappointment about the governance of the unit, funding, consent, "aged equipment and so forth". Dr Henry asked that the leader of the House investigate this pressing matter.
Ms O'Rourke said she took Dr Henry's remarks very seriously and would certainly enquire as to the whereabouts of the report.