Phil Prendergast (Labour)

I appreciate we are in difficult times and that we need to look at everything but a levy of even 50 cent on people who are the end-users is not the right way to go about it. I acknowledge it is a small sum but for some people it is too much and there is scope within the system to influence a change in prescribing practices or the use of generic drugs instead of proprietary drugs. We can review other waste in the health services.

I am interested in what the Minister said about crutches because my house is full of crutches. I am sure many people who worked in the health services, not just those in the same role as me, could advise the Minister of other waste in the health services. Targeting vulnerable people with a charge such as this is not the way to go about it. She would find greater savings if the HSE had not lumped together all the grades of staff, which has taken away from or diluted frontline services. This has created an additional load and means that everyone in the HSE is proving they did not do wrong in the first instance. There is good analysis of how the HSE is not functioning and it is mentioned in this House most weeks by Members on both sides. The point is made by Members of all parties and none who have certain reservations about aspects of care and where quality is not met or a good outcome is not provided. Much savings can be made in the HSE. This charge is not particularly good for patients.