John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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They take in all the allowances - that is fine.

Mention was made of the HSE. I am not going to go back into the debate on that. It has been said that there are legacy issues over the eight health boards and the 50 agencies. Obviously that organisation needs investment in terms of financial management, technology and so on. Is there room within the budget to take a big spending agency such as that and modernise its controls and management so that its representatives do not end up in here every year talking about overspending? Is that an issue for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform?

Are senior managers and top civil servants co-operating with the reform programme? The Minister has often pointed to the need for better engagement from them. Is that a secret code for: "Get into the programme here and let's bring about the reform that is necessary"?