Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

Less than two weeks ago, the Minister for Health and Children came to Cork to open a brand new maternity hospital. That hospital had been dogged by bad luck since it tried to open originally, and a severe shortage of personnel has caused stress for staff and patients alike. At the time, the Minister said each hospital would have to operate on a budget as every other organisation does, and the health service is no different. I contend, however, that the health service certainly is different because it deals with public health matters.

The cutbacks and freezes we have seen since the beginning of September will affect patients' lives and will have a detrimental effect on their families. The freeze on recruitment was implemented without consultation with staff or patients, and the resultant disruption is evident. We hear talk of potential strikes, staff being upset and pressure on patients. Most importantly, pressure is being put on existing frontline staff. When the HSE was established we were told it would lead to efficiencies in our health service with reductions in bureaucracy, but that has not come about. We have seen more bureaucracy and less frontline staff.

When the previous health boards were amalgamated I do not think anybody was told they would lose their job or that they were surplus to requirements, yet people are suffering and are bearing the brunt of the cutbacks. Frustrating levels of bureaucracy are hampering frontline staff in carrying out their duties. Today we heard that more than 41,000 people are on waiting lists, yet the Taoiseach's reaction was to state that they should consult the National Treatment Purchase Fund. While that body has a role to play, it is not the solution to waiting lists comprising more than 40,000 people. The NTPF is specific for conditions that can be measured such as tonsillitis or hip replacement, but it is not a solution for stroke victims or those requiring long-term coronary care. The Taoiseach knows that well and the point has been made before in this House.

In recent weeks, people have attended my clinics who are directly affected by these cutbacks. I was told by a man seeking dialysis treatment for his father-in-law that two dialysis units have been closed in Cork University Hospital since 11 September. Because of these cutbacks the hospital cannot meet the needs of the local population. I was contacted by a woman today whose child is receiving speech and language therapy. However, the therapist is going on maternity leave and since there will be no replacement, the services will no longer be available for that child. A class of 25 speech and language therapists graduated from UCC last June, but 15 of them have not gained employment and they are planning to emigrate to Canada or Australia. That course was developed specifically to redress the lack of speech and language therapy resources, but we now find there is no place for those graduate therapists. Patients who require such services are suffering and frontline staff are bearing the brunt of such cutbacks. According to the 2007 European Health Consumer Index, which was published yesterday, Ireland is ranked 21st of 29 countries for value for money. In the category of waiting time for treatment, Ireland ranks last. We can imagine where we will be placed in next year's index following the cutbacks of the past month, with no sign of an end to the reduction in frontline staff. Management and the HSE, not the staff and patients, are responsible for overspending the budget. That is where the solution to the problem lies.

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