Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When we were spending almost €15 billion in the health system, we had serious overruns, a lack of accountability, a lack of transparency and a lack of effective management. The programme for Government commits to the establishment of a performance management unit which will require managers of individual hospitals to work with the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health to achieve an effective return on the moneys they receive. The extra allocation of more than €400 million is for the maintenance of existing services, to address overruns that have occurred, particularly in acute hospitals, to deal with what the Deputy called a hardy annual, namely, the winter initiative, which is an important element of health care, and to provide for school-leavers with disabilities, home care packages and full restoration of the intended allocation for mental health services, which money was not allocated in the manner it should have been.

I expect that following organisation next week by the Whips of Dáil business, there will be ample opportunity for Members of this House to tease out the details of these issues in plenary session and in committee. As I indicated, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, will spell out the details of what is involved in terms of additional services for mental health and in respect of school-leavers with disabilities who need these extra funds.

See this speech in context