Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the officials and the Minister for coming to outline a Supplementary Estimate from the Department of Health. We do not want to rewrite history but a Supplementary Estimate for health without a change in policy is new, and the HSE did not have Supplementary Estimates for a long number of years. There may have been Supplementary Estimates because of a change in policy but the figures debated in these Chambers for many years were outlined as fact. For people to come in to rewrite history in order to make this better does not mean it is fact. There are people sitting next to the Minister who could verify that fact but because of political reasons, they are unable to do so.

Every year there are Supplementary Estimates for health in December. That has happened for the past two years and we will have one again next year no doubt. It is a recurring theme. We cannot continuously pass an Estimate in the budget knowing in our heart and soul - with all the statistics and data in front of us confirming it - that there will be a Supplementary Estimate next year. The Government should be up-front and honest at the start of the year as opposed to being disingenuous and cute at the end of the year. For example, we know the €113 million in the probity cannot be realised and there are many other aspects of the Estimate for next year that we are taking on a wing and prayer. In good times or bad, the Estimate should be based on fact as opposed to a novel of fiction, which is what we will face again next year.