Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The points I am making are important to the people on the ground. Public servants believe they are being hammered in all sorts of ways by every commentator. When debating the health service, people discuss the significant administrative burden. Senator MacSharry is a good example and I tend to agree with him. However, every time someone makes that point, he or she should also consider education. Instead of saying that the education budget goes on payroll, he or she should say that education is brilliant for its lack of administrative costs. For example, the entire primary school sector is run without an administrative sector's costs. Teachers, principals, boards of management and locals sit down and administer their schools. The only administration is in the Department of Education and Skills. This is a model of good practice, one that would be attractive were it to be migrated into the health service. I do not want people to believe they can do it every way. If one does without administration, it means that front line payroll costs and education feature.