Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure about the wheels on the wheelchair but I looked into the matter regarding crutches when I worked in the health service and what I was told - and this is the information I have - is the cost of examining the crutch and making sure it is safe for use by an additional person is greater than the cost of manufacture and there would be potential liability should a crutch be reused and not work. The cost of the potential claim apparently outweighs the cost of producing new ones because they can be produced quickly. The Deputy makes a serious and valid point. We now spend €16 billion a year on public healthcare in Ireland. It is one of the highest per head in the entire world. For 20 years now spending on public health in Ireland has been above the OECD average on a per capitabasis. Taxpayers are not getting value for money and patients are not getting the service they deserve. It is something the Government and I will focus on in laser-like detail in the months ahead.

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