Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

We also oppose the taking of this Estimate. The Minister needs to be aware that it appears there is gross mismanagement in the funding of the health service and that questions raised legitimately by the Labour Party, and by Fine Gael, have simply not been answered by the Minister. For example, €9 million allocated to the southern health board was not spent and the Minister could not tell us why. That is unacceptable. There is a requirement for accountability on how the taxpayers' money is being spent. It is a matter of great concern.

The hidden sting in last week's budget, which was never in the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance's Budget Statement, was a range of charges that the unfortunate patient must bear. In only one area where the charges were increased, for example, access to an accident and emergency department now costs 333% more than it did ten years ago. That is the legacy of Fianna Fáil Government of the past ten years.

We must get answers as to what is happening in terms of the funding of the health service, where the charges are increasing and the services are being cut back. We have no got those answers and we oppose the taking of this Estimate.

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