Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support Deputy Gino Kenny in respect of this case. It is more than just costs, it also involves some engagement with the company on the application of the drug to this particular condition. People should knock heads together to find a solution.

In recent years there has been growing confusion as to what exactly constitutes Government policy on health. Since the enforced departure of Senator James Reilly from the Department and the mothballing of the compulsory insurance scheme, it has not been clear what is the Government's policy on health. During the Fine Gael leadership campaign, the Taoiseach said the implementation of the Oireachtas committee's report would be policy. Can he confirm that this report is now official Government policy? He also said he would take personal charge of, and a personal oversight role in, health policy. Can he outline to the House what he means by that? The Taoiseach's predecessor said the same and resiled fairly quickly from that commitment.

The Cabinet sub-committee on health has had a terrible record in recent years. It cleared the uncosted and abandoned White Paper on compulsory health insurance. It was supposed to be overseeing budget control. How does the Taoiseach intend to change this poor performance? He said he would change how committees would work and clearly the sub-committee on health has not worked. Can he give a commitment that there will be no repeat of the practice of amending the HSE's annual plan to promise the delivery of more services than the budget actually provides for?

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