James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

The Minister has referred to the transfer of €77 million from the fair deal scheme to the refund scheme. Already, therefore, we have been presented with a supplementary provision. Some €70 million is allocated for the new deal with consultants, €350 million is set aside for repayment to the United Kingdom health authorities, who hotly dispute the bill they received from the HSE, and some €60 million is allocated for pharmacies, although in her supplementary budget for this evening, the figure indicated by the Minister is closer to €32 million or €34 million.

Will the Minister give us some idea of the areas in which she will curtail the roll-out of programmes in order to make the savings to which she alludes in that document? My question was how the Minister plans to maintain the 2008 service level in 2009. How will this be achieved given the cutbacks already taking place? These include the closure of the orthopaedic unit in Navan, of 31 beds in Mercy Hospital, Cork, and of orthopaedic services at Naas General Hospital. Hospitals in Galway and Blanchardstown are withdrawing services under the pressure to break even. The 12-bed orthopaedic unit in Letterkenny is to be closed and cutbacks are taking place at Mayo General Hospital.

Can the Minister give a commitment that there will be no reduction in front line services to patients in 2009 given the budget she has been allocated and the supplementary allocation she is seeking this evening?

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