Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

More time is needed for these statements than has been allocated to them. Whatever about the Minister for Finance coming into the House in a surprise, lightning strike to tell us about the demise of €56 million, the time allocated equates to approximately €1 million per minute to explain the loss of this money. That may seem like small change to some people but, for example, hospital staff in St. Ita's Hospital, Portrane, County Dublin, must contend with one hand basin for 24 patients in the male admissions unit. These staff are instructed to be hygienic and to wash themselves to prevent the spread of MRSA. That highlights what this money could have been and should have been used for and more than 50 minutes is needed for the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children to explain what happened.

The HSE was established amid a great fanfare to introduce greater control and accountability and less duplication of work. However, when cock-ups occur now, they are massive as a result of that change. A major investigation is needed, therefore, to get to the bottom of this because this system was not meant to go wrong in this manner. If it is going wrong, we need much more than 50 minutes to find out about it and to get to the bottom of it.

See this speech in context