James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and compliment the Labour Party on tabling this important motion. Some of my colleagues on the far side of the House are not living in the real Ireland where there is much anger vented against Government politicians for the manner in which they have made reductions in health services. Since the Government took office it has reneged on pre-election promises not to introduce health cuts. Many health board bosses are concerned that they are being forced to sacrifice jobs in order to comply with demands from the Minister for Health and Children to make savings.

The most vulnerable are being targeted, such as clerical and administrative workers whose contracts began less than 12 months ago in the run-up to the general election. In most cases, they have not acquired any employment rights. The Government is foolish to think that, at the stroke of a pen, it can take away 800 administrative jobs without an impact on services. Every health board worker is either providing a front-line service or fulfilling essential support functions. Patients will be affected because essential health care embraces a team approach.

The loss of key personnel, such as ward clerks and secretaries, will have a serious effect on patients. The people concerned are a part of teams which get patients ready for surgery by ensuring charts and x-rays arrive in the operating theatre with the patient. Will this part of the team service no longer be available? Will nurses and junior hospital doctors be diverted from direct patient care to take on secretarial work? Will doctors and nurses have to look after clerical work in busy surgical wards in acute hospitals? They are under enough stress and cope with enough demands as it is.

Earlier this year in the North Eastern Health Board area there were cases where elective surgery in the region had to be severely curtailed. I am amazed by the magic figures for waiting lists that my colleague Senator Glynn provided for counties Longford and Westmeath and wonder where he got them.