Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Not certainly, however, in respect of the €113 million, surely we do not need to wait on the national service plan to get an indication of how that figure was computed. What is the basis of it and what is the Minister's target area in respect of current medical cardholders to realise such a so-called saving over the course of 2014? It is a time of great worry for many medical cardholders and surely they are entitled to some clarity in respect of the Minister's intent in this regard.

In respect of bilateral cochlear implants, we know that an initial allocation of some €12 million might be required but it will be a considerably smaller sum in future years once the bilateral programme is up and running. There is no question that it can be programmatised so let us hope that at least that can be looked forward to.

I spoke to the Minister privately about my final point yesterday. I would like to take the opportunity to say it to him publicly two and a half years after he and the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, as Opposition spokespersons on health gave a commitment as did I regarding the outstanding cases relating to the case of Michael Neary at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. We shared a platform together on this matter. I welcome the Minister's statement this week that women over 40 will be included in a form of payment in recognition of the barbarity to which they were subjected to and the suffering they have endured. I commend that decision.

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