Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The administrative costs of subsuming them back into the Department are less than the cost of the previous entities when they were separated.

With regard to the question on value for money, if one is spending, as we are, more than €15,000 million of taxpayer money on health services of course one will increase value for money initiatives to see, in a sustainable way against the background in which any Government now has to operate, what savings initiatives can be identified. That work has to be done and it is precisely what is being done in the area of disability services.

There are more than 176 providers of disability services throughout the country; there are probably more than 200 such providers. Section 38 organisations include the Brothers of Charity which obtained approximately €125 million and the Sisters of Charity which obtained approximately €100 million. Section 39 organisations are smaller organisations which receive a grant-in-aid from the Department. There have to be savings in respect of how those services are organised. It is clear we have to do this against the background of less money being available from the taxpayer to deal with these services. We want to make sure that we protect-----

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