James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

Is it not the case that it is the Minister's role to advise the HSE on the strategic development of the health service through the identification of areas of need, the setting of targets and the allocation of specific resources to achieve targets? Did the Minister not make specific commitments on palliative care and promise that during 2006 and 2007 some €18 million of Government funding would be dedicated to the purpose? However, when it came to applying the resources the HSE decided to divert the funding away from palliative care to meet core deficits in other areas. When was the Minister made aware that the funding was diverted away from the development of palliative care services? Did she give approval to Professor Drumm to divert resources away from its intended purpose and, if not, what action does she intend to take to ensure that funding allocated to palliative care services will be replaced?

Is it not the case that any budget that is unused is taken back — or as someone put it, robbed back — by the HSE? It appears that the HSE can implement its own policy regardless of the Department of Health and Children or the Government and that by failing to spend money in an allocated area the funding is taken back to be used at its discretion. Does that not undermine democracy and the value of any promise the Minister, the Government or any Government can make if the HSE can undermine policy in such a fashion and through either deliberate obstruction or incompetence not allow people to use up the budgets for recruitment? Is it not the case that HSE south has filled only 17.5 posts out of 33, Dublin north east region has only filled six posts out of 26 whole time equivalents and Dublin mid-Leinster has filled only 15 posts out of 38?

Will the Minister correct the situation that pertains? When was she made aware that the funding was diverted? Did Professor Drumm ask for permission to do that? What is the point of having policy directives and allocations if the HSE can through various mechanisms redirect that money to wherever it deems fit?

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