Mr. Tony O'Brien:

With regard to Deputy Conway's question on income collection, there is a significant problem with delayed signing of forms following the completion of treatment by some consultants in some hospitals. Unfortunately, that adds up to a significant sum of aged debtors, a figure approaching €60 million. This is one of the reasons the talks concluded over the weekend with the Irish Hospital Consultants Association included a specific focus on agreement around the obligation consultants have to sign those forms within a defined period of the conclusion of treatment. It is positive that this was part of the agreement.

In addition to that, we are working directly with those consultants and with the assistance of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association to motivate them to publish in an open and transparent way the list of those specialists who persist in failing to sign these forms. The reality is if we had that €60 million in cash, the backdrop for the health service would be quite different. It is simply not acceptable. In due course, we will move into the disciplinary phase if we need to do so. However, I hope we do not need to do so. The Deputy is correct to highlight the issue.

I am not aware we have cut any funding from suicide prevention. However, I am happy to speak to the Deputy afterwards about this.

Regarding home help hours, we are outside of the normal roll-over of home-care packages and home help hours. We are not going through a process of taking home help hours away from anyone. As I said at the time that the various measures were announced, nothing will proceed in advance of passing a risk assessment test. Those tests are still under way. We are ensuring the type of adverse consequences about which the Deputy is concerned will not arise.