Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on an issue as important and emotive as our health service, a service which affects every family on this island. I commend my colleague, Deputy Billy Kelleher on bringing forward this motion and highlighting the gross mismanagement of the HSE. The Minister will speak later about the mismanagement of his affairs but this does not concern me. What concerns me are the finances and the level of services which are currently provided by the HSE. When the Minister was on this side of the House he said he would be a hands-on Minister; he said he would roll up his sleeves and that the buck would stop with him. There was a great sense of expectation. The Minister is a medical professional with many years of experience in medicine. It was thought he knew exactly what he wanted to do and what reforms he would introduce in the health service. However, little has happened, apart from the abolition of the board of the HSE and the establishment of the special delivery unit which has effectively replaced the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

We all understand the precarious financial situation of the country and while we may disagree fundamentally on how this has happened we all agree there must be reductions across the board to balance the books and to return sustainable finances for the future. This is the first time those of us on this side of the House have not had to listen to accusations it is all our fault. Instead we are discussing a potential deficit of €500 million, according to the Minister's own figures and those of his Government's 2012 budget. What is becoming patently clear is that the Minister was far from honest when he produced the Estimates for 2012. The Minister spoke of saving approximately €124 million in drugs payments as a result of a new pricing agreement with the industry. That is unachievable. The budget provided for additional income of €140 million from increased private income, of which €75 million would come from charging private patients for using public beds. According to the chief executive officer of the HSE, that assumption is not yet deliverable. The Minister spoke about reducing agency costs by 50%, given that agency staff would cost over €200 million this year. The CEO of the HSE has also said that this target is unrealistic.

It is quite clear that what the Minister proposed, and what the Government stood over, was grossly misleading, dishonest and false. As a result, we now face potential bed closures, ward closures and even the potential closure of hospitals. There are delays with the fair deal and it is taking weeks and months for medical cards to be processed. There are huge waiting lists. All Members of the House acknowledge the quality of care patients receive once they get into hospital. However, that is due to the dedication of the staff in the hospitals, who are stretched to breaking point. What is the Minister's response to that? What has happened to his and the Government's promise to protect front line services? Can the Minister give a clear commitment tonight on where the savings will now be made to reach his targets, while protecting front line services? There is serious worry among the public about this.

Again, I offer the example of the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar. Government backbenchers have asked for examples of where savings can be made. The Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar is the most efficient and effective hospital outside Dublin. The Minister visited it recently, albeit secretively. The Government has promised that the money will follow the patient. I have the leaflets that were distributed by colleagues in my constituency. They state that Mullingar hospital will do better under Fine Gael, with more services and increased funding. That is not the case. Last year it cost €60 million to run the hospital but this year the budget is €56.4 million, including an overrun of €1.9 million.

The numbers using the hospital have increased while funding has decreased. The numbers have increased because the Minister reneged on the commitment given on Roscommon hospital when he closed its accident and emergency service. The numbers have also increased because the Minister reneged on his commitment on Navan hospital when it was downgraded. More patients are coming to the Midlands Regional Hospital from that area.

See this speech in context