Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Some time ago, the Minister for Finance had to apologise in the Dáil for the Estimates being wrong because €56 million had gone missing, AWOL or whatever, from the Department of Health and Children. There is a lot of confusion. Was the money spent? Was it in the capital Estimate or did it go on current spending?

When the Revised Estimates were published, we were promised a detailed explanation of what happened. Today we are presented with the schedule for Revised Estimates and for the capital carryover of €289 million. This figure relates to areas such as transport, money which the Government was not able to spend and which it is carrying over to 2006. However, €56 million is unaccounted for with regard to the health Vote. When the Minister for Finance made his unprecedented and very embarrassing apology to this House some time ago, we were promised an explanation, but we are now being fobbed off. All is to be rushed through with no debate or explanation, and there is no Tánaiste.

Last night the Labour Party Whip was promised the Government would allow time for debate. A sum of €56 million is not much to the Government but it is a lot to the people on trolleys. We want an explanation of where is the taxpayers' money. We object to Nos. 10 and 10a proceeding without debate by the Government.

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