Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like the Minister to correct the record. At the Government formation - he was there - we were told there was an overrun of €200 million to €300 million at that time. As he knows, the Minister, Deputy Harris, recently added €500 million. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, needs to correct what he said about it coming in on budget this time.

We are looking in the wrong places.

Fundamentally, the HSE has cannibalised itself and it is not fit for purpose. It is outdated and unfit. We cannot continue to throw money at problems, €1 billion extra last year and €1 billion this year is phenomenal money. I acknowledge there are good outcomes but there could be more although it does not help when the Government closes services in Nenagh and other locations, such as the backup services in Waterford, where patients were coming. We need to correct the record and not throw money at a dysfunctional outfit which is outdated and wasteful. The Minister said we wasted a decade but where was the decade of reform? I want a reply also on the issue of so many less staff in the HSE. There are front-line nurses and doctors, our best, brightest and educated, who will not work here. We cannot keep them in Ireland and they are being sought after worldwide. Why are there 30% more managers? There is a problem in the mushrooming of management while there are no front-line services. The lunatics are in charge of the asylum in the HSE and it is time they were reined in. I want the record corrected by the Minister that health is coming in on budget this year because €500 million has already been added, and with the additional allocation of €490 million it will be €1 billion extra this year.

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