Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

That does not answer the question. The Taoiseach was the Minister for Finance who made these allocations, and rightly so. Since his election as leader of his party and Taoiseach, he has pointed out that his priorities are health, delivery and outcomes. How can we have a situation whereby Ministers are allocated money by the Minister for Finance for specific targets and objectives which is not spent in those areas? That is the problem. As Deputy McCormack pointed out, the bonuses were not cut for managers and front line staff are not being recruited, with the result that on 13 May 2008 the Joint Committee on Health and Children heard evidence in respect of palliative care, which as Deputy Reilly regularly points out deals with people suffering terminal illnesses, the average waiting time for a hospice is eight days. The longest wait is 20 days but many of the people concerned do not have 20 days. The bonuses for managers are not cut, yet all the money allocated by the Taoiseach is unaccounted for and has disappeared. The Minister for Health and Children has said there is no point in spending money if one does not know where it is going.

I have had some difficulties with the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Moloney, who is not in the House this morning, but I give him credit for saying on "Prime Time" that he was shocked at what was happening and the volume of money which was not being spent where it was allocated. He called a special meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Children at which presentations were made by those involved in caring for the elderly and the hospice movement. He stated: "We do not have the authority to raise funds within this committee but we can ensure that funding allocated within the budget is spent within guidelines and headings." He went on to give this commitment:

...that funding allocated in 2006, 2007 and 2008 will be spent specifically in the appropriate areas. Even though the two previous years have now passed, the funding that was not used then can be front-loaded for 2008 and 2009. That is what we are about. If we as a committee cannot deliver upon that we should not come back to this room for further meetings. We are putting it as starkly as that.

The Minister of State is the Taoiseach's constituency colleague. Can I take it that he has the Taoiseach's imprimatur, that the moneys which were not spent despite being allocated by the Taoiseach as Minister for Finance in 2006, 2007 and to date in 2008 will now be front loaded and that the Minister of State's comments as chairman of the joint committee will stand up so that front line staff in palliative care and mental health can receive the moneys allocated for a legitimate purpose which is of importance and great sensitivity to many families? Nothing is as frustrating as seeing Ministers announce money for a certain purpose only to find it has disappeared into a black hole somewhere within the HSE. Can I get a commitment from the Taoiseach that the words of the former chairman of the joint committee will be implemented to ensure these front line staff provide the service to which they legitimately aspire?

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