Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In last week's budget the Government made a conscious decision to under-fund the health system. That is well established. The impact is going to be felt by those unable to get a hospital bed, those who will remain on long waiting lists and thousands of seriously ill patients who may not be able to access potentially life-saving medicines. The Government is now playing the blame game, blaming the HSE chief executive, Bernard Gloster, for being too transparent; blaming the Sinn Féin health spokesperson, Deputy Cullinane, for being too effective in holding the Government to account. Fine Gael is blaming the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. Fianna Fáil is blaming the Minister, Deputy Donohoe. Is the truth of it not that it is the Tánaiste, the Taoiseach and Deputy Eamon Ryan who sat down and agreed this with their Cabinet colleagues? They are to blame for under-funding the health system. What is the Tánaiste going to do about that? What is he going to do about the devastating consequences this decision will have for patients right across the health service next year? Does he accept the system is under-funded and what is he going to do about it?

See this speech in context