Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important matter. Like a number of other Deputies, I spent some time on one of the original health boards - a lot of time, in fact - during which I learned something about the health services. I was interested to hear the various submissions. A comparison has been made between the old health boards and the current structure. I agree with that comparison. The thing that has been obviously missing for the past several years is proper connectivity within the system. The health services on the ground were remote from the HSE. When he was appointed in 2005, I asked the first chief executive of the HSE whether the structure of the organisation as set out was appropriate to facilitate the delivery of health services. He said he did not know. It was an honest answer but history has proven it was not the appropriate vehicle. Everybody has said it was wrong of a previous Minister to abolish the board of the HSE. I do not agree. It was unworkable. The problem was that a replacement structure was not put in place.

For my sins, I was also a member of the Sláintecare committee which met over a considerable period. I repeatedly asked that consideration be given to the reintroduction of a system somewhat similar to that relating to the health boards whereby there was connectivity, accountability, a chain of command and a continuous line from the patient right to the Department and the Minister. Nobody really wanted to take it up because they did not want to go back to the fact that the previous system was abolished.

Deputy Donnelly is a nice guy and I am very fond of him but he is wrong if he thinks that overruns in the health service only started when the current Government or that which preceded it came to power.

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