Michael Harty (Clare, Independent)
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The director general of the HSE, Mr. Paul Reid, gave evidence on reaching the budgetary targets each year. When the service plan is published, the first line is always that it will be challenging to meet demand and demographic change and provide for the introduction of new services. Having a "challenging" budget implies that the HSE will not be able to deliver the services it wants to deliver. If it goes over budget, it is because it is delivering more services to deal with the unmet need that has built up. If we are to meet our target and come in under budget, there has to be reform of the system because it is inefficient. Senator Colm Burke referred to the number of non-front-line staff employed every year. It must take a huge number of non-front-line staff to run an inefficient service. It is absolutely essential in respect of Sláintecare that there be urgency, but I do not get a sense that there is that urgency in the implementation of the Sláintecare report. How urgently is the Minister addressing the issue?