Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I object to the guillotining of the motion relating to the Book of Estimates at 7 p.m. tomorrow. I do so because the opportunity for debate in respect of a raft of public expenditure proposals, involving a sum equating to €54 billion in public moneys, will be curtailed by the exercise of this guillotine. We should allow all Members the opportunity to properly participate in the debate. There is another day's sitting this week on which a further opportunity for input and participation could have been accommodated. The Estimates will be referred to Oireachtas committees, but that will be months after the event. I am a member of the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service which has made the point on numerous occasions that this is absolutely unacceptable. Some of the most far-reaching measures in respect of expenditure on the part of the Government are not included in the Estimates, are not provided for in any motion laid before the House and are not even catered for in legislation. However, the Government is going to proceed in respect of a number of them without their being addressed in the House.

I wish to provide one instance, the Minister for Health and Children's proposals in respect of the co-location of private, for-profit hospital facilities on the sites of public hospitals. This has never been provided for in any shape or form — motion, legislation or Estimate — and it is indicative of the general attitude of the Government towards public expenditure and the use of public moneys. These matters must be properly addressed and debated in the House. On those grounds, I object to the proposed guillotine in respect of the motion on the Book of Estimates.

See this speech in context