Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have one last point to make and I raised this topic with Mr. O'Brien previously. There is a write-off of bad debts in the accounts. I am not sure if the figure is €14 million or €15 million but why would the HSE be writing off money it is owed? The people who owe money include those who have not paid accident and emergency charges, among other things. How much of the debt on the balance sheet is over one year old? We have talked about days and weeks for the consultants to put their claims in but I am equally concerned about money that is owing to the HSE for over one or two years that the executive might never see. How much was written off and what is the mechanism for writing off bad debts? Can we do anything to collect some of the money that is owing?