Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The HSE chief executive officer, Bernard Gloster, said the simple reality is that the funding allocated to the health system in the budget is not adequate, that the service plan for 2024 that the HSE will put forward to the Minister will include a built-in deficit and that this will be the first time in his memory that that would be the case. I do not understand how the Government can propose a budget at a time of significant surplus - almost €10 billion is projected for next year - that will entail a worsening of the health crisis. It will entail an increase in the number of people who are on hospital waiting lists and in the number of people who will be on hospital trolleys this and next winter. How can it be the case that we have a budget for a worse health service? How can the Taoiseach stand over that? I understand that other Ministers may not have confidence in the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. If that is the case, get rid of Deputy Donnelly and do not punish the patients who are reliant on our public health service.

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