Sean Barrett (Independent)

I have grave misgivings about that part of this legislation. That is no bad reference to the Minister who probably feels much the same on having been landed in this situation.

The important part of the Minister of State's speech, following her reference to this pretty dreadful gesture towards Third World countries, is that we must proceed with the reform agenda. She mentioned the requirements of a better skills mix, new and more flexible rostering arrangements and the reorganisation of the health service. We must proceed with that.

We discussed our legal service yesterday, with which the Minister, Deputy Shatter is dealing, which is the third most expensive legal service in the world. Part of the IMF agenda is to deal with these sheltered services. I estimate that we have the second most expensive health service in the world. An bord snip has indicated a figure of €16 billion in this respect for 4 million people and there is private sector and over the counter figures of another quarter of that amount. The cost of our health service is second only to that of United States. It employs 111,000 people and employment in the service increased by 40% in recent years, as indicated in the Minister of State's most helpful document, Health in Ireland: Key Trends, which I hope she will circulate to the House. It shows there have been massive increases in staffing with 111,000 staff, which has increased by 40% in a decade, and massive increases in expenditure. Ours is one of the most expensive health services in the world and it does not deliver.