Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I have approximately eight questions submitted on this, but I will focus on just three areas. With regard to the Cabinet health committee, is the Taoiseach satisfied with the methodology and efficacy of the system in place at Cabinet level in terms of the evolution of health policy? A recent editorial in The Irish Times highlighted the need for far greater clarity in terms of the direction of the health service and the need for public consultation. It suggested a need for the publication of a White Paper or for the Government to give some sense of where we are heading with regard to health. Despite all the promises over the past 15 months and despite the work of the Cabinet committee, which as indicated in the Taoiseach's response has met on a number of occasions this year, no legislation is in the offing nor is there a precise timetable, as promised by the Minister, for further reform.

I put it to the Taoiseach that there is a sense of a drift in the health area, combined with a sense of dread and concern about the autumn and the capacity of the health service to get to the end of the year without serious consequences. This dread relates to the overrun and to the complete lack of governance and management of our health service since the abolition of the board of the HSE. Nothing has been put in place to replace that board. Many of the senior people have left the health service as part of the recent redundancies and there is a sense of drift, concern and anxiety at hospital, community and patient level.

With regard to the committee on mortgage arrears, will the Taoiseach clarify whether he believes it is having an impact on the significant issue facing thousands of Irish people, and couples in particular? Over 10% of mortgages are now over 90 days in arrears. By all accounts, despite the fact he has chaired a number of the Cabinet committee's meetings, the Taoiseach is not in a position to answer basic and straightforward questions about the issue at today's press conference. He cannot answer as to whether banks will continue to have a veto over any resolution arrived at as a result of the legislative framework he signed off on today. I wonder what goes on at the Cabinet sub-committee meetings if, over a lengthy period and a number of meetings, basic clarity that would give insight and information to the public cannot emerge on these issues.

I put a question to the Taoiseach previously with regard to the jobs and economic recovery committee. It has been suggested by some Ministers that the idea of the Cabinet sub-committee on jobs and economic recovery had marginalised the rest of the Cabinet with regard to economic policy and job creation. The unemployment figure stands at 14..8% and the Government's prediction and that of the Department of Finance is for this to get worse. The figures for the net employment gain over the next three years of have been revised downwards by approximately 40,000 jobs. Therefore, some 40,000 fewer jobs will be created according to this year's prediction as opposed to last year's.

Clearly, things are not working in the Cabinet committee system the Taoiseach has put in place. In the three areas I have mentioned, where Ministers have come together and meetings have been held, the situation is becoming worse. This applies to the management of health, to bringing clarity to mortgage arrears and to decisive intervention in respect of unemployment and economic recovery.

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