Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I wish to share time with Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

I thank Deputy Reilly for providing a further opportunity for the House to debate the health service in Private Members' time. My party leader, Deputy Gilmore, raised the issue of health cutbacks on Leaders' Questions. The Government's attitude is that cuts to frontline services have nothing to do with it and are a matter for an agency, the HSE, which must live within its budget. The HSE is not an ordinary publicly-funded body which must live within its budget. It was established almost three years ago when the Minister took the political decision to centralise public health services under the HSE and, in so doing, depoliticise the delivery of services, an objective which has been achieved.

Like Deputy O'Connor, many Deputies have raised in the House problems they have encountered in securing replies to parliamentary questions submitted to the HSE. As a former member of a health board, I have found it much more difficult to find out what is going on in the health service than I did prior to the establishment of the HSE.

It is not good enough for the Government to wash its hands of the problem of health cutbacks by arguing that the HSE has a responsibility to balance its budget. The HSE is critically important in terms of the delivery of health services, for which the Government has responsibility. It is difficult to ascertain what is taking place within the HSE. Why did it fail to spend approximately €100 million of its budget last year? I understand it returned this money to the Exchequer, yet it has already managed to go almost €200 million over budget this year. This matter needs to be examined before deciding to cut frontline services. It is wrong to use such a blunt instrument when, as Deputy Reilly noted, recruitment for middle management positions continues and an overspend has occurred on the information technology budget — we are all familiar with the PPARS overspend.

No one knows the reason bonuses were awarded to senior HSE managers. One would expect that a key target of any organisation would be to stay within its budget. If that is the case, why would senior management of an organisation which failed to stay within budget be given bonuses? A series of questions on the delivery of health services must be answered before the Government can stand over a cut in frontline services. As the political head of the Department of Health and Children, it is incumbent on the Minister to answer these questions.

Earlier, my party leader asked why advertisements for the position of chief nursing officer in the Department, which commands a salary of up to €100,000, have been placed in newspapers when frontline services are being cut.

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