Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

That is of little consolation to the people of the country. I asked that the Taoiseach, irrespective of the cuts made in the health budget, can give a guarantee front line services will not be cut. The reason I ask is that front line services save lives. Two weeks ago, Fine Gael tabled a motion in the name of Deputy James Reilly. We listed many actions that could be taken by the Government to save money in the health budget. At least €200 million could be saved by using generic drugs. Why has this not been acted on? Why has the Government not followed the €92 million spent on agency staff or the 6,000 redundancies promised by the Minister for Health and Children and identified by the former chief executive Brendan Drumm before he left office as ways of dealing with a reduction in the health budget without having an impact on front line services? I recognise this Government has led the country into economic quicksand. Reductions must be made across all Departments. In the interests of the hundreds of thousands to be affected by this and irrespective of the size of the cutback in the health budget, can the Taoiseach give the people an assurance that the cut will not affect front line services, which save lives?

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