Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The rationale behind the restructuring of the health system is to establish hospital groups to allow for increased operational autonomy within those groups and to have accountability for hospital services that will drive the service reforms and give the best possible outcome for patients. This is all part of the process of leading to a system where money follows the patient and where we introduce universal health insurance at the end of the process. I deplore Deputy McGrath's comment about Professor John Higgins. I do not intend in any way to offer any insult to the hardworking staff in the south east. They do their job on the front line, as one would expect them to do. The process has involved over 70 meetings. It is never easy to get agreement and consent between any institutions much less in the health area but I hope the Minister will be in a position to conclude on the groupings for the south east. I am not getting into speculation, allegations or rumours about what that might entail.

In respect of Deputy McGrath's comment about the national lottery, each county was given a proportionate amount which is open, transparent and very clear unlike the situation that applied when the Opposition was over here where secret arrangements were made with the Government that were not subject to FOI and where nobody could find out the price of the Government's support every Wednesday when it was needed. The next time the Opposition is back on troika duty, it should make its questions a little more succinct.

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