Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I compliment the vast majority of the staff who work in the HSE. They do a good job and many people get a good service from this country's health sector. This is something that goes unsaid too often. To be honest, I am not surprised that issues and problems have developed. The country was bankrupt. There is always a lag or a delay in such circumstances. This is what happens after a country has had no money for a decade. The constant reductions in services caused lists to build up in the way that was depicted on Monday night. We are spending enough money on this country's public and private health sector. Over €14 billion is provided from the State Exchequer each year. A further €9 billion comes from private resources. This is more than most other countries in Europe spend on their health sectors. However, we are not getting the value for money or the throughput that is required to prevent long waiting lists.

The real issue here is lethargy. Nobody is prepared to change. Nobody in the health services, particularly in the public sector, is prepared to give an inch. We have had debates about the drug orkambi. Drug companies do not give an inch. I cannot explain why they charge this country a multiple of what they charge in other jurisdictions, but I can say that this eats into budgets in areas of the health service where this money would be better spent. Similarly, the staff and the unions do not give an inch. If there is a bad practice in an institution or a hospital, it is not given up. A reforming structure is not put in place to ensure staff are prepared to work better hours and show better flexibility. Nobody gives an inch in the Irish health sector.

The continuation of the hospital groups is vital for the future of the health sector, particularly the public health services. The hospital groups should be removed from the HSE and placed on a proper statutory footing. There should be full accountability within the hospital groups. Deputies and county councillors should be on the boards of the hospital groups because elected representatives can be held accountable by their constituents. We cannot establish the hospital groups without correctly integrating the other community services that are administered by the HSE. That is the future. Everybody has to give. People in this House have to give. The services that are required cannot be in every hospital. I compliment Wexford General Hospital on giving up services so that they could be reconstituted in the appropriate way with a proper throughput of patients, thereby allowing administrators, doctors and nurses to use their specialist expertise in the relevant areas. That is the future. We all have to give. If we do not give, we should stop coming in here and complaining.

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