The Taoiseach is "completely out of touch" with the crisis in the State's accident and emergency units, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte told the Dáil this morning.
Speaking during questions to the Taoiseach, Mr Rabbitte said Government initiatives aimed at solving the overcrowding issue were not working. "Whatever it is you think you are doing it is not working," he said.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny
"Isn't that why your government has declared a national emergency?" Mr Rabbitte asked. Yesterday the Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney said the A&E problem had to be treated as a national emergency.
"That means we have to do things that we mightn't do in a different set of circumstances. We have to mobilise all the resources that are available from the voluntary sector, in the public system and in the private system to make sure that nobody is left overnight on a trolley," she said.
But her assertion was met with harsh words in the Dáil this morning.
"Nine years after your government took over responsibility for the health services," Mr Rabbitte told Mr Ahern, "the Tánaiste and Minister for Health declares a national emergency.
"Why have you come around now to announcing and recognising that there is a national emergency? Is it because of an imminence of a general election?
"The fact of the matter is that the situation is worse than when you took it over."
He said Ms Harney had taken on a "bewildered bystander persona" like the Taoiseach.
"She goes on television last night and says that this is something up with which we cannot put, like as if she had no responsibility for it or somebody over here [on the Opposition benches] is responsible for it.
"We have now reached the stage where your backbenchers are sniggering at the fact that the PD ministers are up to their arms in trouble everywhere they look, and your backbenchers are beginning to enjoy it.
"Meanwhile unfortunate patients including aged patients are kept in the most inhumane, undignified circumstances in hospital corridors in A&E units all around the country.... and you come in here an rhyme off statistics about what it is you think you're doing. Whatever you are doing is not working".
The Taoiseach accused Mr Rabbitte of wanting "to make political points, we're just trying to solve problems.
"The only fear that you have is that we might resolve this issue and we'll continue to do that," Mr Ahern said.
He said Ireland had a "very good" and "internationally recognised" health service and the Government was doing its "utmost" to solve problems in A&E.
"The point is that one facet which is an important facet, of accident and emergency, which has traditionally been a difficult area in the medical service and in the health service, is not up to the standard in all the regions and in all the hospitals that we all would want to have it," Mr Ahern told the House.
"We have over a number of years, in a number of ways done a whole range of issues. From putting consultant appointments...into our hospitals. We haven't yet got them to work after half six in the evening but they are issues we have to try to deal with.
"We have given additional nurses, we have given 35,000 additional staff to the health service and a large proportion of them to A&E. We have given step-down beds, 1,500 beds in the health service respite care to deal with these issues.
"The population of the country is getting older. A lot of our GP services don't want to work after half five. If you don't have a GP service after half five and if you don't have consultants in A&E after half five you can see how you [have] problems. And we're trying to deal with those problems. I have never said there is not a problem with A&E."
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny suggested an election next year had prompted Ms Harney's comments.
"When did the penny drop with this government?" he asked. "Was it the doctors, was it the nurses, was it the patients, was it the patients relatives, was it the constant radio phone-ins, was it Brendan Gleeson [on the Late Late show]?
"No, it was none of these people," he said.
"This accident and emergency realistation has come about because for 17 polls in a row your party has been languishing in the mid-30s and this national emergency is driven by a sense of political desparation.
"And we can have Minister [for the Environment Dick] Roche smirking all he likes.
"You can smirk all you like, but it is no joke Minister Roche for the 384 people lying on trollies today.
"You and your lot have sat around the cabinet table now for [nine years] and it is only yesterday this has become a national emergency in the eyes of the Tánaiste."
