Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Anybody with any experience of government knows that four Ministers of State in any one Department is a recipe for confusion overlap and mixed messages as to who is really in charge. I say that with no disrespect to the individuals involved who I am aware are trying.

In the previous Government, the Taoiseach took the role of chairing each Cabinet committee. He told us recently his mojo was found somewhere and he had it back in his pocket or wherever. However, the problems in the health services are getting worse. The crisis for those who work hard in the health services is that the lack of leadership in those services is making a difficult and challenging situation much worse because, basically, morale is hitting the decks. The worse thing that can happen in a public service organisation is that those working in it feel morale is seeping away.

A second issue which I want to raise, one on which I have had conversations with the Taoiseach on previous occasions, is the situation in Crumlin hospital for children with scoliosis. I have encountered a case of a nine year old girl with severe scoliosis, who is wheelchair bound and has intellectual and other serious physical disabilities. She is waiting three years to begin treatment for scoliosis. While we have been debating this question, I got a text message from the child's mom stating they have been told the beginning of the treatment and operation will not be before Christmas. The Taoiseach is a person of compassion. I have been on personally to the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, who has equally reacted with compassion to the case. What is the problem? Last year and the year before, much extra money was put into scoliosis treatment services in Crumlin hospital. Will the Taoiseach tell us what is going on? Has he a clue himself? Will he have the Cabinet sub-committee responsible meet at 8.30 a.m. next Monday or Tuesday and ask the five Ministers, who have advisers and assistants, to deal with this? Morale is being destroyed in the health services due to the lack of answers.

Where is health in the list of Supplementary Estimates? Will we have an Estimate for it by the end of the year?

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