Dáil debates

Wednesday, 31 May 2006

Health (Repayment Scheme) Bill 2006: Report Stage.

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

I support the Labour Party amendment. Since 1997, 175 reports have been submitted to the Department of Health and Children in respect of its work. There is a proliferation of reports and a lack of activity on sorting out the difficulties in our health service. This legislation will mean there will be another involvement of consultants. Surely the health service in particular or the public service in general have the necessary expertise. We have had some excellent performances and services from other Departments, including the Department of Social and Family Affairs, which deals with a complex area but is efficient in the way it carries out its work across a range of payments, regulations and appeals. Surely that level of experience, not alone in the Department of Social and Family Affairs but in other Departments like the Department of Agriculture and Food, which deals with complex issues concerning payments from the European Union with detailed regulations, many of which are difficult even to read let alone implement, can be called on by the Department of Health and Children. If that expertise, coupled with its own expertise, is available there is no need to spend vast amounts of money on external consultants to carry out what in effect is repayment of moneys the criteria for which will be clear and transparent. Surely that scheme can be operated by the public service rather than having to again engage expensive external consultants.

We hear about ongoing discussions on increasing the number of staff in the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive. We hear also of the expertise that was available to each of the health boards, now concentrated in the Health Service Executive, but the management of seven health boards is now reduced to the management of one Health Service Executive. The expertise and professionalism of the people who have become available as a result of the rationalisation of the health boards could be applied to distributing funds, the criteria for which will be clear and transparent.

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