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

The Taoiseach did not answer the question. My question went to the heart of an issue of credibility and honesty in presenting the figures and challenges facing the health service. The Taoiseach has been commentating on the health service since he was Minister for Health, with little outcome. In 2014 and 2015, I identified dishonesty in the health service Estimates process and in the way things were working and operating in the Department and the HSE. Essentially, I am asking the Taoiseach whether the Estimate put before us in the national service plan, is acceptable. Irrespective of all of those issues about which the Taoiseach has spoken, one cannot put figures that cannot be realised into an Estimate.

That is what the chief executive of the Health Service Executive, HSE, is telling the Government and the Oireachtas at this late stage, after the budget has been passed. In essence, the indication is that there is potentially a deficit of €800 million. Leaving that aside, there is a figure of €346 millionfor efficiency savings or value improvement. He is very clearly saying that the last element of that is almost beyond implementation in the figures. Essentially, he is saying that delivery of the €119 million in priority theme two, in addition to the €77 million from priority theme one, will be extremely challenging. We all know what that means; it means it is a false figure and it should not be in there.

Let us have an honest debate about this issue. The Taoiseach should stop coming in and saying that the Government will implement Sláintecare; it is not going to implement Sláintecare or anything in Sláintecare. That is the honest answer. Let us have an honest debate about the challenges facing health not just on funding, but on reforms. Let us not camouflage, mask and pretend while putting a sticking plaster over the figures for another year. That has been happening for the past four years. The Government realised hundreds of millions of euro in other savings last year while getting additional tax and so on but it has also prioritised where that goes. We want an honest debate on the figures not after the budget, but in advance of it.

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