Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Today's discussion is informed by a number of factors, including recent visits to the committee by the Minister. It is clear from what he told us then and again today that we are facing a Supplementary Estimate, the extent of which is not clear, but we know it is significant. We also know from his visit on the previous occasion that we are facing further cutbacks of €900 million in 2013, with a reduction of approximately 6,400 staff in 2013 and 2014.

Community and home care services are in serious difficulty, in particular home help and disability services. Last evening I was contacted by two elderly gentlemen. One is 94 years of age. He had five hours of home help - one hour per day, five days per week - but that has been reduced to two hours per week. An 82-year old gentleman who recently had a serious fall also had five hours a week of home help but that has been reduced to one and a half hours per week. The effect of such reductions in community and home-based services will be further pressure on hospital services, which will cost more for the HSE and the health system to provide.

We were also informed by two further reports, the first of which was referred to by Deputy Ó Caoláin, namely the INMO report. It clearly shows that there are serious deficiencies in the staffing of general hospitals in this country compared to Britain. The cutbacks, reductions in services and the lack of staffing are having serious consequences for patient care in hospitals. The Minister referred to the other report, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies in his statement. It indicates that we have already done serious damage to the health service and that if we continue on the path set out, irreparable damage will be done to it.

When we refer to irreparable damage to the service we are talking about patients. Elderly persons will not receive a quality of service, and there will be irreparable damage done to the system as well as the individual patients.

It is clear from his report this morning that the Minister is committed to further reductions, cutbacks and job losses, but I put it to him that it is his duty to examine an alternative. There is an alternative. The Minister has choices. There is significant wealth and assets in this country.