Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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4. To ask the Taoiseach if he still chairs the Cabinet Committee on Health. [34869/16]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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5. To ask the Taoiseach when the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Health is expected to take place. [36005/16]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Health last met; and the number of meetings it has held since the beginning of 2016. [36014/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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7. To ask the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet Committee on Health has met. [36232/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, together.

As Taoiseach, I chair all Cabinet committees, including the Cabinet Committee on Health. The committee has met on five occasions, namely, on 12 May, 16 June, 21 July, 22 September and 7 November. The next meeting will be held on 13 December.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The reason I have asked the Taoiseach if he chairs the Cabinet Committee on Health is straightforward. It is increasingly clear that one area of Government policy that is in a shambles is health. After holding the health portfolio for six straight years, Fine Gael has no discernible health policy. The compulsory health insurance model of the James Reilly era was abandoned prior to the last general election, having been told for five years that it would happen and there were all sorts of report on the issue. Furthermore, the last Government significantly disrupted the health service through initiating the compulsory health insurance model by creating a structural and organisational crisis, but then nothing happened and the policy was abandoned. The then Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, spoke about privatising some elements of the service, but he got out of the Department as fast as he had got into it. Now we have a new set of circumstances. The programme for Government states health is a priority, but waiting times are going through the roof. Elective operations are being cancelled and outpatient and inpatient waiting lists and times are at record levels. That is how they are being described. Emergency departments are at a critical point. Yesterday on the "Six One News" hospital spokespeople stated the figures had reached an all time record. Cork University Hospital had a record number of patients on trolleys. Some 80 patients had been admitted in one day to its emergency department, which the chief executive officer equated to the numbers that would attend a small hospital. The programme for Government states health is a priority, that emergency department waiting times will be dramatically reduced and that change will be driven forward, but none of this is happening. I genuinely thought the Taoiseach was no longer chairing the committee because things were getting worse.

The Cabinet committee is clearly not playing the central role we expected of it. If it is playing that role, where is the evidence to support that contention?

We do not have any sense of long-term funding structures. Is the Government committed to a public health service model in terms of funding?

In the past, particularly last year and the year before that, the Health Service Executive's national service plan was amended by Ministers in Cabinet to cover up the funding gap for promised services. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment that the service plan for next year will be published without any ministerial interference or interventions? Will he commit to having a debate in the House on the health service plan when it is published and to full transparency in committee and plenary session in terms of the plan?

Rome is burning, with issues appearing across the full spectrum of the health service, from recruitment to service provision and delivery. This morning we discussed mental health. I ask the Taoiseach to change tack on this year's allocation for mental health. Reasonable and quick interventions could be made on the counselling front by providing more resources to those who offer counselling, particularly in the non-governmental organisations. The Government should consider using the private sector to provide mental health services. Could some hospitals contract in professionals in the interim given that the public service states it cannot recruit staff and fill vacancies? Community intervention teams could be improved and the primary care counselling service extended. To follow up on this morning's discussion, I ask the Taoiseach to think about these suggestions, on which an immediate response is not required.

In the context of an overall health budget of €50 billion, surely it is possible to provide more than €15 million in additional mental health funding. This would send a positive signal that we are serious about mental health. As the chair of the Cabinet committee on health, it is within the Taoiseach's capacity to ask his Ministers to do something concrete on mental health in 2017 to show the Government is with the people on this issue, particularly the younger generation who are very concerned about it.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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The Irish Timesreports that 535,000 people were on public hospital waiting lists last month. In one hospital alone in Cork city, Cork University Hospital, 26,000 people are on waiting lists. Incredibly, the number of people on hospital waiting lists has increased by 27,000 since the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, took the reigns in the Department six months ago.

TheIrish Examinerreports this morning that 16 people have died from suspected suicides in the Cork region in the past two weeks. Conor Cusack has called for the establishment of well-being centres operating on a 24-7 basis. As the previous speaker noted, we are falling well short of meeting the targets set in A Vision for Change, the ten-year strategy for mental health which runs until the end of 2016. An additional allocation of a mere €15 million has been provided for mental health this year when much more is needed.

According to trolley watch, which is operated by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, 25 people are on trolleys in Cork University Hospital today and the number of people on trolleys at the hospital earlier this week was the highest in the country. Contrary to the figures provided by the Taoiseach, trolley watch's figures show there are 464 persons on trolleys or in overflow wards in hospitals today. This is caused in significant measure by the understaffing crisis in the health service, which is unable to retain nurses.

All this points towards the need for a national health service which would provide health care free at the point of use in a single tier, universal system. What proposal does the Cabinet committee have for dealing with the multiple crises in the health service?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Figures provided to me by the INMO also indicate that there are 464 people on hospital trolleys today, so perhaps the Taoiseach needs to revise his figure.

It is a matter of wonderment as to what the various Cabinet committees do. The Taoiseach is limited in terms of what he can divulge to the House for some reason beyond my comprehension. The health service is in a worsening crisis, despite the great zeal, care and compassion that health service workers bring to their vocation. We dealt in some detail earlier with mental health issues. I remind the Taoiseach that there are no 24-7 crisis care services in the State. Deputy Micheál Martin made a passionate plea for all this to be dealt with in an appropriate manner. However, when Sinn Féin proposed a Private Members' motion seeking a timeline for 24-7 crisis intervention services in mental health, the Fianna Fáil Party amended the motion to remove the timeline.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We had our own motion. The Deputy is playing politics with the issue.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I raise this not to score political points but to demonstrate the need to focus on the crisis in mental health in the same way as we need to focus on other crises. One such crisis that springs to mind is the report that up to 30 patients have died in University Hospital Limerick after being infected with so-called superbugs. Can the Taoiseach provide any information on the number of confirmed deaths as a result of infection by drug-resistant superbugs? Will he also state how many such cases have been identified in the past six months? Furthermore, will he ask the Minister for Health to release any information he has on this matter and indicate what action he will take to address it?

On the terms of reference for the commission of investigation into the case of Grace, a young intellectually disabled woman who remained in a foster home at the centre of abuse allegations, the report by Mr. Conor Dignam, SC, makes very disturbing reading. Will the Taoiseach give a clear commitment that the many specific issues raised by the Dignam report will be addressed? Will he also indicate what is the current status of the two HSE reports into allegations of serious sexual and physical abuse at a partially State funded foster home? Will he outline when the two reports will be published and what is the current status of the terms of reference of the commission of investigation?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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We were given a copy of the Supplementary Estimates for the end of the year today. Will the Taoiseach explain the astonishing decision not to provide additional funding for health? Will a further Supplementary Estimate be introduced for health? If not, how will the €35 million promised for mental health be provided? In the context of our earlier discussion of mental health services, how will it be possible to address the suicide crisis in Cork disclosed in the Irish Examinerthis morning without additional funding?

We have a ridiculous situation in the Department of Health with one senior Minister and four Ministers of State.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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They are needed.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Anybody with any experience of government knows that four Ministers of State in any one Department is a recipe for confusion overlap and mixed messages as to who is really in charge. I say that with no disrespect to the individuals involved who I am aware are trying.

In the previous Government, the Taoiseach took the role of chairing each Cabinet committee. He told us recently his mojo was found somewhere and he had it back in his pocket or wherever. However, the problems in the health services are getting worse. The crisis for those who work hard in the health services is that the lack of leadership in those services is making a difficult and challenging situation much worse because, basically, morale is hitting the decks. The worse thing that can happen in a public service organisation is that those working in it feel morale is seeping away.

A second issue which I want to raise, one on which I have had conversations with the Taoiseach on previous occasions, is the situation in Crumlin hospital for children with scoliosis. I have encountered a case of a nine year old girl with severe scoliosis, who is wheelchair bound and has intellectual and other serious physical disabilities. She is waiting three years to begin treatment for scoliosis. While we have been debating this question, I got a text message from the child's mom stating they have been told the beginning of the treatment and operation will not be before Christmas. The Taoiseach is a person of compassion. I have been on personally to the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, who has equally reacted with compassion to the case. What is the problem? Last year and the year before, much extra money was put into scoliosis treatment services in Crumlin hospital. Will the Taoiseach tell us what is going on? Has he a clue himself? Will he have the Cabinet sub-committee responsible meet at 8.30 a.m. next Monday or Tuesday and ask the five Ministers, who have advisers and assistants, to deal with this? Morale is being destroyed in the health services due to the lack of answers.

Where is health in the list of Supplementary Estimates? Will we have an Estimate for it by the end of the year?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Time is up for this series of questions. We can agree to proceed without an answer from the Taoiseach and regard what we heard as a series of statements to the Taoiseach. Alternatively, we can ask the Taoiseach to respond by taking time from the third series of questions.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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How much time is left in the total allocation for Question Time?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are thirteen and a half minutes remaining at this stage.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Could I propose we take the time?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is it agreed we take the time from the third set of questions?

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Yes.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Can we limit it?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will we take five minutes for a response to the third group of questions?

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Three minutes would be better.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Six minutes.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Three minutes.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Three minutes.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Three minutes is agreed. Can you do it, Taoiseach?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Micheál Martin raised valid questions. We will have a debate on the health plan. The budget comes to €14.6 billion. Obviously, the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, wants to put in place the strategy by which moneys can be ring-fenced and spent in health in 2017. It will not be €35 million in 2016, obviously. She is spending what she can this year and then put in place the strategy by which it can be ring-fenced and spent in 2017.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We can spend more. The Taoiseach gave the impression it is only €35 million. That is the problem. It sends out the wrong signal.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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That is the story. There will not be a Supplementary Estimate in health between now and the end of the year.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Why not?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The ceilings have been set for 2017 and will not be breached. Despite Ministers may be considering putting in claims looking for money because of Brexit and every other challenge we have, it will simply will not be there because we will breach all of the European regulations to which we signed up. We do not want to go back to where we were.

As regards Deputy Micheál Martin's point about the private sector assisting in the mental health sector, I will have the Minister reflect on that.

Deputy Mick Barry raised the issue of hospital beds. The list from the special delivery unit is there were 387 cases of patients on trolleys at 8 o'clock this morning, not 464. Obviously, the Deputy may have a different method of counting. Cork University Hospital had 25 cases this morning on this list. There is an increasing ageing population with growing demographic pressures.

Deputy Gerry Adams asked about the Dignam report. The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, is working on it. We have committed to a commission in respect of that particularly situation in the south east. I will have the Minister of State report to the House on that, as well as the reports to be published on this.

I do not have the details of the case concerning Crumlin hospital raised by Deputy Joan Burton. Obviously, these are all difficult cases. I have one case from Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett in respect of a home care package. I will have the Minister contact the Deputy's office about the case.

The Ministers of State dealing with health, as Deputy Joan Burton will be aware from experience, Deputies Helen McEntee, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Catherine Byrne and Finian McGrath, are all doing specific jobs-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Not really.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----from drugs to healthy Ireland, from mental health to disability, which all carry significant budgets. They are all working hard to implement their particular strategies.

The Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, set out to have an all-party committee on health care, which is functioning, to remove elements of politics from the health area and have a ten-year strategy for it. Two new initiatives were launched, namely the winter initiative and the endoscopy waiting list. He has introduced medical cards for domiciliary care allowances which will benefit 10,000 children. Additional funding has been put in for disability services, including supports and services for all 18 year old school leavers. This was always a problem every year which the Minister has dealt with.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We need to proceed to the next block of questions.