Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I ask the Tánaiste to use the opportunity offered by the final Leader's Questions of this Dáil session to firmly rule out any attempt to curtail further entitlements to medical cards, as proposed yesterday by the IMF. Will he also rule out Government consideration of an attack on child benefit?

When the Cabinet met last Tuesday to sign off on the Health Service Executive Governance Bill 2012, was any indication given by the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, of the decision by the CEO of the HSE, Mr. Cathal Magee, to tender his resignation? When and how did the Tánaiste learn of Mr. Magee's decision? How does he explain the situation where his party colleague and Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Róisín Shortall, indicated that she had only learned of Mr. Magee's decision through the media and, correctly, expressed her regret? Does he agree with her comment that his departure was a "significant blow" to the health service? How would the Tánaiste describe the relationship between the Minister for Health and the Minister of State in their respective roles in the Department? Are they even on speaking terms?

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