Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Following yesterday's meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts, we learned that the health budget was in severe crisis. At the end of August the overrun was reported as being in the order of €329 million. By September it had increased to €374 million and is now projected to end up at €500 million by the end of the year. It was RTE which told us last evening that Tallaght hospital had to apply to Allied Irish Banks for an overdraft of €12 million, with a letter of comfort from the HSE. This was not mentioned at yesterday's meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts. Furthermore, the CEO-designate could not confirm whether the HSE had been consulted or involved in the selection of the additional primary care centres. We deduced from his reply that officials had nothing whatsoever to do with the added centres selected by the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly.

We also know that Tallaght hospital is not the only one with a massive deficit. Across the country acute hospitals are in dire financial straits, which is having an impact on patients, staff and the broader economy. We have raised these concerns about health overruns since last April and were told by the Taoiseach in this House that everything was under control. We all know where that has ended up.

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