Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask for Dáil time to discuss the health budget. It is clear from HIQA's report that the Government starved Portlaoise hospital of the funding it needed and should have received in accordance with the announcement made by the former Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, at the joint committee to the effect that it was a band 3 hospital. HIQA stated it had never received the funding required to be a band 3 hospital. The Government gave €500 million to the health service at the end of last year, having left it €500 million short throughout the entire year. In two months of this year and three months after the budget, the Government added €70 million. We are not given any opportunity to discuss the health budget, nor do we receive any information on it. In stead of inactivity, I ask for Dáil time to discuss this very important issue.

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