Pearse Doherty

Hear, hear.

The Government is robbing the children of their assessments.

On a point of order, could I get clarification on whether the Taoiseach just informed the Dáil that the Government intends to continue to break the law on this issue?

I think it is really-----

I have never heard a Government in all my time declare it intends to continue to break the law.

It has asked for direction from the Government.

It has asked for direction from the Government.

Before the Minister leaves, I want to say to her that the fact she delivered a copy-and-paste speech is an insult to the 15,000 children who she is failing legally in their entitlement. She read out nearly word for word the speech that was delivered earlier. At least she should have had the decency to put it into her own words and pay a bit more respect to this debate tonight. The Taoiseach told u…

Fuaireamar amach inné gur seoladh litreacha chuig 2,260 teaghlach faoin scannal tubaisteach maidir le hobráidí chromán na leanaí. Tá tuismitheoirí fós feargach nach bhfuil an t-eolas ón Rialtas ná na hospidéil á thabhairt dóibh. Yesterday we learned the scope and scale of the devastating hip surgery scandal. Some 2,260 families have been sent letters. I raised this issue on Leaders' Questions two …

With respect, that is not good enough. The fact is that 2,260 letters were issued. The fact is the letters were issued as part of the implementation of a recommendation of the draft audit. The fact is the draft audit said all of those children should be recalled. The fact is there are 2,260 families out there that are anxious. The fact is none of those families knows whether their child was operat…

The Government needs to deal with this. I know every single person in this Chamber would be appalled at the idea of a young girl being opened up, her bone being chiselled into unnecessarily and left with a scar and pain, but it is the Government's responsibility to provide a pathway and certainty for those families. I ask the Minister a simple question - will the Government ensure that every singl…

This month the Department of Finance published its economic projections. The State will run a combined surplus this year and next of €15 billion. At the same time, the Government tells workers and families they are on their own and there will be no cost-of-living package in this year's budget. Does the Government simply not get it or is it ignoring the plight of ordinary people who are under serio…

But you are misleading the Dáil.

You are misleading the Dáil.

Hear, hear.

But it mentions the early audit.

Jesus Christ, they are implementing the audit recommendations. Do you not know what has been happening for the past eight weeks?

Do you not know?

They are implementing the audit recommendations.

Do you not know what is happening? It is disgraceful that you would not do this.

As my colleague Deputy Mac Lochlainn stated, people are waiting seven months for driving tests. As of April, 83,000 people were on the waiting list. Matters are getting worse because 10,000 more joined the list in the past three months. This is simply out of control, and the Government is sitting on its hands while it is happening. In some cases, the impact on these individuals is immense. I have…

The letters have been issued.

The Government does not have a clue what is in it.

There is an early recommendation that they were ready to implement. You do not have clue what is coming up.

You do not have clue what is coming up and neither does the Minister for Health.