Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

There are 10,000 home help packages that were not available a few years ago. Reforms are being implemented and primary care is a critical part of those reforms. The amendment of the consultants' contracts, by bringing them into clinical directorates in hospitals, and the management of services in our hospitals are an important part of that.

The fundamental point is that allocations have been increased and there has been no cutback in the amount of money being provided. When we make the allocation, we must ensure that the service plans work to those allocations. Otherwise, as the Deputy knows — this is not gobbledegook — the legal position is that this will be a first charge on whatever goes in next year. That will greatly undermine the ability of the staff and the management who are working hard to provide the level of service that is currently being provided.

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