Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

These are the kinds of things the Minister of State should know. If the Minister for Health says he is confident that a certain number of beds are to be opened or that a certain sum of money is to be put aside and the Minister of State then comes in and says he does not know what it will be spent on, it does not inspire a massive amount of confidence. It certainly does not do so in me. It will not inspire a massive amount of confidence among people waiting on these services.

I apologise for the interruptions. I have asked several questions related to health expenditure but they cannot be answered. I fully appreciate that the Minister of State is here to deputise for the Minister but it is not acceptable for him to say he does not believe it is the job of the Department or the Minister to answer. Of course we will ask the HSE — we do so when its representatives appear before us. On the one hand, the Minister of State is telling us a certain number of beds will be opened and that there will be plans for this and that but on the other hand, when he is asked for the detail, he says it is someone else's responsibility. I do not believe that is acceptable.