James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I reiterate that we must save €1 billion thanks to the economic mismanagement the Fianna Fáil Government engaged in. Against that background it is remarkably difficult to try to maintain the service and it is a challenge but it is one we are meeting. I will provide a flavour of how things are different with the special delivery unit. It is not what Senator Byrne describes at all. It is a key performance analytical machine that gives us the information to allow us to manage patients, the system and to identify where problems arise. We can discuss this hospital and other hospitals but we know there is a management deficit within the hospital system. Many excellent people were administrators promoted into management but they never got management skills or the training. The special delivery unit will help to support them and this is what it is there to do. We have no wish to get rid of managers or consultants who have a great deal of experience. We want to help them to change and get the skills they require to run our hospitals effectively.

I will finish with one point to demonstrate how things are different now. I asked the HSE how much money and how long would it take to put in place the information system we now have because I saw it working in Northern Ireland. I was told it could take 18 months and would probably cost €10 million. Dr. Martin Connor, people from inside the HSE, the Department and the NTPF have achieved this in 98 days at a cost of €250,000. This is the way forward, it is how we will change the way things are done in this country and it is why I have absolute faith in our people and our ability not only to fix our health service, but to fix our economy and to put ourselves back to our rightful place internationally and throughout the world.