Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

It is about organising the money as well and having certain priorities. It is not always about getting more and more money. We all know the health budget increases by approximately 10% a year, and that is the case this year.

On the cost of this measure — we know what the parameters of the cost could be — there is no sum of money sitting around that we can take and say, "there it is". I have said previously that if the sum were €500 million it would build two new hospitals. If it were €2 billion it would build a new children's hospital, a Mater hospital and several other hospitals. That is what we are talking about. To put it in scale, it is a huge amount of money.

In regard to confidence, I said previously and I repeat that if I did not have confidence in one of my Cabinet colleagues I would go to the Taoiseach and say that. I would not stay in government with somebody in whom I did not have confidence. When I have confidence in people I defend them, even when it might be unpopular to do so. I stand by people, and that is important too.

In regard to Mr. Kelly, he is a bright, hard-working, committed civil servant. That is my view of Mr. Kelly.

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