Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Earlier in the week and this morning we had discussions with the various groups that are looking towards the budget with some hope on the basis that during Covid various sectors were neglected. For instance, the Irish Cancer Society indicated how much it had fallen behind in dealing with urgent care issues in the past 18 months - and understandably, because the services were obviously highly strapped in dealing with the immediacy of another issue. Similarly, other issues were raised in relation to CervicalCheck etc. The issues raised are ongoing and have a serious impact on health. Will it be possible to sympathetically consider all those issues, including housing, special needs and early years education, as well as climate, notwithstanding the exigencies within which the Minister has to operate for obvious purposes? Will there be a role in managing the national debt for the NTMA, as there was in the past? It is a reverse situation to that which prevailed previously when borrowing was at high interest rates and it was obviously easier to offload and roll over into lower interest rates. It will not be that easy to do the next time, but there may still be a role for the NTMA. What could that role be in those circumstances? To what extent could it be utilised?

My two questions relate to the seriously pressing issues in terms of health and other services, and the potential role for the NTMA.