Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

This situation requires a political decision. We are discussing children and costly but life saving operations. One specialist, Dr. Patrick Kiely, a consultant surgeon, has stated that putting off operations makes no economic sense. However, as the HSE is so focused on balancing books, it is making an across-the-board, swingeing cut to the system to every hospital irrespective of the types of caseload that I have mentioned or the additional procedures implemented by hospitals.

Had we a system of money following patients, which is advocated by every Opposition party, the hospital would be paid appropriately for its workload. One cannot claim that sick children are somehow responsible for being ill. We must respond to their needs. I welcome today's decision by the board of Crumlin hospital. I am not sure how it has managed this within its budget, but it has announced that it will not close the extra beds and theatres as planned. It stated: "Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin reiterates that this decision has been made in light of the existing pressure on services and the potential impact on children and families of additional closures". This is the hospital's focus. Sadly, it is not the focus of the Government or the HSE. They focus on balancing books.

The Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, does not believe we should contrast this situation with what is occurring in terms of the banks. However, when the banks came back and stated the money given to them was not enough, the response was not to the effect that they would need to make do. Rather, the Government gave them billions of euro more. When a children's hospital comes back and states the money is not enough, it is told that it must make do.

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