Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

I am sorry. I asked a simple question two weeks ago of the parliamentary affairs division about the dialysis unit in Limerick city but it has not come back to me. I asked Professor Drumm about the matter last week and he said he would write to me but he did not do so. The whole communications system is breaking down and there is misrepresentation.

Last October I inquired whether funds for mental health services had been diverted to other service areas and, if so, what measures would be taken to protect them. I received a reply in which I was informed that €51 million had been allocated in 2006 and 2007 for the development of mental health services in line with A Vision for Change. I took it that €51 million was spent in those two years but the Irish Mental Health Coalition found out through a freedom of information request in January that 57% of the developments funded in 2006 had been put in place at an annual cost of €17 million out of the figure of €25 million and that 40% or €10 million of the funding provided in 2007 had been made available. It was stated: "The balance of the funding from 2006 and 2007 was time delayed to address core deficiencies in existing mental health services thus ensuring that the HSE meets its obligations to deliver services within the vote." I was not informed of this when I asked a straight question about the diversion of funds through the Health Service Executive. The assistant national director wrote to me but did not inform me that that had happened. This detail only came to light through a freedom of information request.

The Minister is responsible for the expenditure of €15 billion of taxpayer's money. There must be accountability at all levels for its expenditure. The Minister must hold the Health Service Executive accountable for what has happened and account to the Houses of the Oireachtas. Failure to do so amounts to a failure of accountability, which is inherent in our system. The Minister must re-examine the relationship between the Health Service Executive and public representatives, the Health Service Executive and the Minister and the Minister and the Houses of the Oireachtas.

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