Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

The Minister said she approved the budget on 10 December and that the HSE had to work within its allocation and manage programmes prudently. That is the key to the whole problem. Who is responsible for prudently managing the budgets? Deputy Jan O'Sullivan said unfilled positions sometimes saved money. Unfilled positions sometimes cost hospitals a good deal of money. For example, at University College Hospital, Galway, a nurse cannot be appointed to the dermatology unit. Last year, some 30 dermatological patients were admitted to the hospital, at least 20 of whom could have been dealt with if a nurse had been appointed. They spent an average of five nights in hospital, equivalent to 100 bed nights, the expense of which could have been saved if a nurse had been appointed. When the manager of the hospital is asked about this, she refers the issue to the Health Service Executive.

Who is responsible for such problems in the Health Service Executive because it never gets back to the person concerned? A good deal of money is being wasted in hospital units. Talk of prudent management is a joke.

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