Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have often heard members of the Government refer to the national finances as being a bit like household finances. I am sure Members have often heard the phrase, "Watch the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves." At a national level, one can apply the same logic: "Watch the millions and the billions will take care of themselves."

The question is whether the Government is watching the millions. It emerged recently in several national newspapers that financial pressure on International News & Media, INM, has led it to enter into talks with its banks to restructure its debt. Political and business sources believe a write-down of up to €100 million may be in play. One article also explained how much of this write-down would fall on the people's backs through the nationalised banks and the figures to emerge are somewhere between €12.5 million and €13 million. When it comes to watching the pennies or the millions, it appears as though a decision will be made to spend some of these scarce millions on saving the necks of multimillionaires. What could be done instead of giving them this money they do not deserve to be let off? It is funny and very sad at the same time. Members heard a fantastic speech the other day by an Taoiseach, Deputy Kenny, on what went on in the Magdalen laundries. However, I find it somewhat strange that one apologises on one day and then goes on to abuse again the following day, by which I mean we must make choices as to where we spend our money. At present, it appears as though we are deciding to give money to multimillionaires while at the same time, it was reported this week that a child sex assault unit faces closure over staffing. Approximately 100 children have been treated or assessed since it opened in April 2011, some of whom were as young as 18 months old. It is the country's only dedicated 24-hour sexual assault treatment service for children and adolescents. We have choices to make and I believe the Government is making the wrong choices. We are choosing multimillionaires before choosing to take care of sexually abused children and then we have tears in this Chamber when people apologise for something. That is great but one must follow through continuously because one cannot abuse one day, apologise the next day and then go on to do the same thing again while expecting to get away with it.

What could be done with €12.5 million or €13 million? We are making a choice in this regard and choices are so difficult. I will provide Members with an idea of what could be done with this money instead of giving it to multimillionaires. Figures obtained by a newspaper show that despite cochlear ear implants for both ears being international best practice for children with profound deafness, the HSE does not fund the double procedures. Beaumont Hospital has sought funds since 2009. It provided a business case for the bilateral operation, which involves implanting an electronic device in both ears. However, the minimum cost of €36,000 to €40,000 for a double implant is not being provided and patients only are being given implants for one ear. It appears as though the choices being made are creating situations for children that are akin to going into Specsavers in the morning only to be told one only has enough money for one lens for one's child's glasses and that while it is not ideal, there is significant evidence this will benefit them were they to shut their other eye. However, this is the decision we are making. While the unilateral implant greatly improves hearing for profoundly deaf children, the lack of a bilateral service means hearing still is problematic. This is what is being done to children while we decide to pay back the richest people in this country on debts they took on in the knowledge of what they were doing. The advocacy group DeafHear has stated this meant hearing service improvements such as the newborn screening programme were being hampered. However, Beaumont Hospital's chief executive, Liam Duffy, stated there was little the hospital could do. Beaumont Hospital is not funded for bilateral implants - how could it be when one must fund multimillionaires to get them out of a hole - but recognises it is best practice to perform simultaneous bilateral implants and second implants for those children who already have received one. The hospital has been in contact with the HSE since 2009 regarding the funding necessary for bilateral services and submitted a business case in October 2012. Since the programme commenced 17 years ago, 346 people have received cochlear implants, with ten receiving bilateral implants and at present, 350 children await a second implant.

I know Members on this side of the House are only a rabble and, according to the Government, do not really represent anyone. However, I have an amazing piece of technology in my office called a calculator. I tapped into the calculator to find out what it would cost to give good quality hearing to these 350 children in order that they would not need an special needs assistant, SNA, in the classroom and the State would not be obliged to spend additional money on them or to provide a special stereo for them in their classrooms. How much would be needed? The refrain of the Government is it must make choices but guess what choice it must make? We have a choice of funding the multimillionaire media moguls to the tune of €12.5 million to €13 million or giving a second cochlear implant to every single one of the aforementioned children. It is the Government's choice and it should make it. It is a choice between the children and the multimillionaire media moguls. I have a suspicion about who the Government will choose.

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