Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I understand the Government has not yet finalised the guarantee scheme so the Taoiseach is not in a position to answer on that matter. However, I wish to refer to an area over which he has control.

In today's newspaper the Taoiseach states that next week will be a defining moment for Ireland. In the recent past he pointed out that no one will escape the consequences of managing our economy and he stated that greed is a human failing and has not been absent from Ireland. On the day he made that comment, the HSE set up a bonus system for 2009 of €1.4 million, a 20% increase on 2008. On average, there are 300 people on trolleys every day, there have been serious cases of misdiagnosis and deaths from cancer, particularly among women, some 1,200 acute beds are unused and, this morning, it was announced that a rehabilitation facility will be closed. There is still no fair deal for those under economic pressure because of the cost of nursing homes. That is a performance that does not warrant a 20% increase in bonuses over 2008.

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