Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)

We are all pleased that the senior Minister in the Department of Health is present. It is important that, when an important motion such as this is before the House, he is present to listen and respond when his time comes.

The removal of €750 million from the health budget for the coming 12 months will have profound implications for the health service. When Fine Gael was in opposition, its members excoriated the outgoing Minister for Health and Children for cutbacks and adjustments that were made in previous budgets. Now, however, another €750 million will be taken out of the budget, which will have a serious effect on the level of service that can be provided.

On the issue of retirements, we accept that a programme was implemented to take a certain number of people out of the public service to adjust the fiscal position, but if more than 4,000 staff leave the health service, it will have serious implications for front-line staff in one of the most important Departments.

It was decided to centralise the processing of medical cards to one centre in Finglas in north Dublin. There is a major problem with this. I am sure the Minister, who represents the neighbouring constituency, is well aware of the difficulties people are encountering in having their medical card applications processed.

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