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

I wish to raise with the Taoiseach the fact that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, refused a request to increase health funding to meet the ongoing need of the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, for approximately €1 billion. The Minister, Deputy Howlin, said the sum of €1 billion was a nice, round figure that the Minister for Health demands on an annual basis. There were more leaks of commentary from the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, on Sunday.

Deputy Michael Moynihan will let the Taoiseach know of a case he is dealing with concerning a person over 70 years who is terminally ill with cancer. The person is on a relatively low income but cannot get a medical card. That reflects the very restrictive approach the Government is taking to issues such as that because of funding. The Deputy has been in regular contact with the authorities on the matter but he has not got a response. Could the Taoiseach let me know when the health (miscellaneous provisions) Bill will be brought before the House?

The Government gave a specific commitment in the programme for Government to insist on the highest standards of transparency in the operation of NAMA, on reduction in the costs associated with the operation of NAMA, and that decision making of NAMA does not delay the restoration of the Irish property market. We have read that approximately €229,000 of taxpayers' money was spent on protecting the right of NAMA to be treated differently to other public authorities in terms of responding to freedom of information requests. The case has gone all the way to the Supreme Court. I believe it was a Mr. Gavin Sheridan who challenged the position. The situation is scandalous. The Government has backed NAMA all the way on the Supreme Court case, despite the programme for Government commitment to which I just referred. When will the Government implement its legislative commitment to bring transparency to NAMA, to which all the Government parties agreed in 2011?

Last Sunday, The Sunday Business Postcarried a shocking report about Belfry funds. AIB took €300 million from 3,000 ordinary customers between 2002 and 2006, and all of the money is gone. Most of them were PAYE workers, not speculators, and the bank gambled on their life savings. When can we expect the financial (miscellaneous provisions) Bill and will the Government take legislative action to prevent such activity from happening again?

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