Mr. Tony O'Brien:

In regard to the issues raised by Deputy Fitzpatrick, all service providers are required to take their share of the reduction in the overall health budget. He referred to a relatively modest reduction of 1.4% for a particular service provider. It is unfortunate that at certain times of the year, including in particular the run-up to budget negotiations, some service providers insist on putting their clients on the front line of negotiations. The issue is being discussed by the service provider and the area manager for Louth-Meath. We asked the provider to desist from issuing communications of this nature to those who depend on its services and we are seeking to engage with it. Service providers should understand that when they chose to do these things in response to relatively modest adjustments in their budgets, they are unlikely to encourage us to look favourably upon them when it comes to a choice of how to allocate scarce resources. Those which tend not to use their service dependent clients in this way are much more likely to do well than those which consistently put them on the front line. While we will engage with them, that approach does not engender sympathy from the Health Service Executive.