Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

While the Estimates have not yet been published, it is no secret that this year the HSE will get at least an extra €1 billion to provide services around the country on a priority basis over the next year. We are fortunate that over the past nine or ten years we have been able to triple health funding because of the great success of the economy. Health Ministers from Europe and elsewhere tell me their challenge is to maintain services with increases of 2% or 3%, which in some cases does not even meet inflation.

As we increase funding, we must ensure we make appointments that make sense and on terms that make sense. That is why the 100 consultants the HSE has identified to appoint this year are not by speciality but by priority areas, particularly in hospitals where innovation is being embraced. I am not certain whether Cork University Hospital will qualify or has applied. I hope it has done so. Priority areas will receive consultant posts until we reach the stage where we can appoint the consultants we need for the health service over the next number of years.

I share Deputy Lynch's concern. Diabetes, if not managed early, has catastrophic effects on patients, their families and the health system and budgets. That is why this is a priority and I have had a number of meetings with HSE experts on how we can begin to have a community-wide initiative in 2007 to manage diabetes involving GPs and nurse-led clinics. If we can move into that space, it will be successful.

See this speech in context