Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

My initial question relates to whether there have been changes to the membership of the Cabinet sub-committee on health which, to date, has only met on one occasion. I tabled it as a result of the fact that there was a degree of uncertainty in respect of health policy per se. There is also an incredible lack of clarity with regard to the future direction of health policy. Is the HSE going to be abolished? It would regrettable if that proved to the case. I accept that there is a need for reform and consolidation in respect of the transformative changes which have taken place during the past decade in the health of the population. The two major changes have come about as a result of how we deal with heart disease and cancer, historically the two biggest killers in society.

The second matter to which I wish to refer relates to the commitment in the programme for Government regarding the development of a pathway to universal health insurance. This will be an enormous undertaking. I do not agree with the policy in this regard, but it is the prerogative of the Government which has a mandate to pursue it. In view of the way matters are progressing, particularly in the context of the work of the Cabinet sub-committee on health, there is no sense of conviction in this matter. Has consideration been given to the sub-committee receiving external presentations on, for example, how the universal health insurance model in the Netherlands operates?

There are a number of key issues with regard to the privatisation of management in local hospitals as a preparatory step towards moving to the local trust model. Has this matter been placed on to the agenda of the Cabinet sub-committee? I refer to the concept of bringing in private contractors to manage local hospitals. I am also concerned about the privatisation of district hospitals. There appears to be a policy of creeping privatisation-----

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