Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

During its watch this Government has increased public expenditure from €16 billion to €40 billion so that resources are available. In the past, €16 billion was available but now €40 billion is available for people to spend correctly. The various Accounting Officers and agencies have a responsibility to do that. We will accept our responsibility and will work with them to do so. The correct thing for the Health Service Executive to do is to see, based on what the Departments of Finance and Health and Children have said to it, what it can build on, what it needs to abandon and how should move on. That is the correct thing to do. For Opposition Members to suggest one does not need any system to run a staff of 140,000 is so unhelpful and irresponsible and they should be ashamed of themselves.

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