Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

Yes, within the service level agreements, but they continue to overspend. This is not, by the way, a once-off issue. This has happened two or three years in a row, and the difficulty for the Department is, and I know this is well understood by the committee, we have always underpinned this overspend. It has happened in different ways through uncontrolled recruitment, which is part of why the agency piece is so important, or uncontrolled spending. We then have the frustration of things in the service level agreement not being implemented. For example, over a bank holiday weekend, the Smithfield injury unit was closed down. It is in the service level agreement that this be done. Spinal adolescent services have been in the service level agreement for some time. With the Mater hospital, it is only since July this year that it has started to be implemented. This is not acceptable. We have all these agreements in place but they must be implemented. This step on IFMS is very strong. First, it is entirely legally necessary and will be even more legally necessary after the Health Information Bill. It is a step of real good faith and is an appropriate step by the voluntary hospitals to step into what the committee and the committee Chair is asking them to do.