Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is entirely incorrect. In the past, Opposition spokespersons on health would have been very critical of a HSE service plan that did not adequately set aside resources for demographics. We cannot talk about existing levels of services as though that does not impact on people. This is about trying to prepare the health service for the fact that more people will need health services next year and the year after as our population both grows and ages. Before we start adding additional services, I have a duty as Minister for Health to ensure that we fund adequately existing levels of service based on demographics. Words like "mythical" which the Deputy used would much more appropriately apply had I closed my eyes, blocked my ears and pretended there were no demographic pressures.

As the Deputy knows, there is much more than €9 million in the budge for developments for health services when one goes beyond the acute hospitals sector. I note the area of mental health, which is my colleague, Deputy McEntee's area. Deputy Kelleher referred specifically to waiting lists and we have the first ring-fenced budget for waiting list initiatives since the onset of the recession. I know Deputy Kelleher is very supportive of those initiatives and, indeed, proposed many of them. Funding for extra disability services has also been provided. As such, it is not just €9 million for new services. It is €9 million out of €118 million more for the health service in our acute hospitals sector and there are many more developments in primary and social care also.

See this speech in context