Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is a great deal of hand washing going on. The HSE is obligated under the Act to provide a service plan but at the same time officials from the Departments of the Taoiseach and Public Expenditure and Reform are trying to verify the figures while the HSE is expected to draft a plan to provide services in 2014. The Minister stated that he feels these figures are almost unachievable and it was reported that the distaste officials had for the probity drive relating to medical cards published by the Department of Public Expenditure as a way of slashing costs was almost palpable. The Minister of State. Deputy Alex White rowed in behind the Minister some time later when he appeared before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health stating, "They look like very large figures. They look big to me, I will be honest with you". They look big to all of us. The difficulty is the HSE is trying to draft a service plan but we do not know whether the cuts that will make up the overall savings of €666 million or, for example, the €130 million saving in the probity drive for medical cards will be achievable.

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