Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is telling us that the status quowill remain and that he has no intention of reversing the cut. That is clear and unambiguous.

I take little comfort from his reply to the effect that each CHO within the HSE's regions would have flexibility to redirect its own savings to address local service requirements. All of us on this side of the House are used to dealing with the HSE at local level and we know that that money will go into the so-called black hole of Calcutta. It will not be redirected to the people who most need it. What the Minister of State is taking away from people is the modicum of independence for which they strive. The payment represents that independence, but it is being swiped from them and given to the CHOs. It is a disgraceful decision on his part and one that need not have been made. For the sake of ensuring equality within the system, everyone should have kept the right to retain the payment.

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