James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I have only been in this House for a year and a half. Every time we have a problem the answer is to establish another committee, investigation, task force or commission, with money flying out the door. I remind Members of the Government's approach to money in the not so distant past when one Minister said of the €50 million spent on electronic voting machines: "What about €50 million in the overall scheme of things?" What about €10 million for the lives of children who may not get the opportunity to live to old age because of not having this vaccination programme? It has been recommended by two Government bodies. The Minister was congratulated when she announced it. I wanted to see it extended to 18 year olds as is done in the UK and in the North. Australia has had it since 2007 for women up to 26 years of age, but we cannot do it here. It is about priorities. The Minister is telling us that out of a €16 billion budget she cannot find €10 million to protect the future of children.

HIQA has stated this programme would cost €9.7 million. The Minister has given other figures here as to the cost of the vaccine. I would know from hearing on the grapevine that a hard deal done by the Government could result in no moneys being paid for the vaccine next year or the year after and that the suppliers might be prepared to wait until 2010 to receive their moneys given the economic climate in which we are all operating. While I agree the Minister is making hard decisions, it is with alarming frequency that those decisions are always hard on the patients and on front-line services and not hard where they need to be, on bureaucracy, waste and negotiations.

The Minister has her advisers with her today. We know that for every €1 spent on prevention it is possible to save €20 on treatment. I put it to her that this is penny wise and pound foolish. We are at a crossroads. This is a moral decision for the Minister. She should seek the money elsewhere from her €16 billion budget and protect those who need protection or else when she relinquishes responsibility in the area, she will leave behind her a heinous legacy.

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