Seanad report:A senator has been criticised for equating travel for cancer treatment with a shopping trip. John Ellis (FF) said that the plan to establish centres of excellence for treatment of the disease was in the best interests of patients.
"I think we would all accept that if somebody wants to go to Dublin for a day's shopping they will get there. So I can't see a reason why, in most cases, they won't get there if they want to go to look after their health."
Mr Ellis was speaking on the Voluntary Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2007.
Nicky McFadden (FG) said that Mr Ellis's comment was utterly indefensible. "I don't think he meant to offend, but I think it is not appropriate to say it is comparable to going shopping for a day."
Ms McFadden said that people needed to be able to access services locally insofar as possible. With a population of over 23,000, Athlone was a very suitable place for the VHI or a similar company to locate a private hospital or a Swiftcare centre, she said.
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Leader of the House Donie Cassidy said he hoped that the deaths of two firemen in Bray this week would prevent a repeat of such a tragedy and that the relevant minister would bring forward an initiative within the next two weeks. Along with members on all sides of the House Mr Cassidy expressed sympathy with the families of the two men.
He noted that Frances Fitzgerald had said towns like Bray needed a permanent fire-fighting service. This was not to diminish the ability and courage of part-time personnel. He said he would allow time in the near future for a comprehensive debate on the serious challenges which had to be faced. "I put the minister and the department on notice that we will have a serious debate within the next three weeks. I do not say these unfortunate firemen died because of lack of action, but the new Government has a five-year term ahead of it and money was never as freely available nor the economy as buoyant."
Paul Coghlan (FG): "That is not what the Minister for Finance is saying."
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The urgent need to legislate for paid paternity leave had been highlighted by a comprehensive survey, the results of which had been published in Wednesday's edition of The Irish Times, Ivana Bacik (Ind) said. A large number of women had been surveyed and among the more alarming findings was that only 33 per cent of them had partners who regularly participated in housework.
"Obviously, men require some gentle encouragement, at least, to participate in domestic work," Ms Bacik observed.