James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The plan took quite some time to prepare on foot of the challenges we faced. However, we have managed to address many of the main issues of concern. This does not mean that we are going to have an easy year. In fact, it is going to be a very difficult year, but we will continue to work hard to implement the plan. I reiterate that I do not wish services to be cut; rather, I wish to see the cost of services being reduced. That is what the Government is about.

In the context of question No. 2, the service plan is comprehensive. I am prepared to offer those in opposition a briefing on it by the HSE. Obviously, the HSE will be briefing its own staff on it today.

As regards the plan, we have done as good a job as possible in protecting existing services and developing new ones. I look forward to implementing the plan which is heavy on reform during the course of the coming year. We are using the good offices of the HSE to bring forward many of the reforms on an administrative basis in order that the legislative process will have an opportunity to catch up. In addition, we will be in a position to learn from the administrative side about some of the fine tuning which may be necessary in the context of the legislation we will ultimately introduce.

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