David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is not what it says in the briefing note, however. That is my point. The document refers to a risk and states that a Supplementary Estimate may be required. There are no ifs, buts or maybes about this. It is a reality. We need far more clarity. The Minister was much clearer in his response just now. This is part of the problem. Although the Minister is clear, I had a very robust discussion with the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform just before Christmas at a meeting of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. As I was the only member left in the room, I had quite a long time to have a discussion with the Minister. It is the same again today. In any event, he did not share that view at all. Rather, he was of the view that there may not be a need for a Supplementary Estimate. If the Minister, the HSE and the Department get their act together and achieve the savings and efficiencies that can be achieved, all will be good and there will not be a Revised Estimate or Supplementary Estimate. We are here to discuss Estimates. There must be a level of reality to it. It is not negative to call out what is reality, namely, that the health service will not have enough money this year to stand still, and very little money for new measures. In that context, it is a racing certainty that a Supplementary Estimate will be needed. The Minister obviously agreed with me in terms of his response. There is no point in any Minister saying "Maybe" or "I do not think so" but then, come September or October, we are having discussions on a very substantial Supplementary Estimate.