Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

On a more important matter than bus lanes, I believe the Fr. Kevin Reynolds issue was discussed for 20 minutes at Cabinet yesterday, which indicates how seriously the Government is taking this matter. I commend the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Cabinet for referring the issue to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and I look forward to a full, comprehensive investigation into the processes used and the editorial decisions regarding the "Prime Time Investigates" programme.

With regard to the upcoming budget, I agree with the principle adopted in many other European countries whereby budgets are discussed before budget day, there is robust and detailed debate on the various budget submissions and each issue is gone through in detail and the Budget Statement is effectively a summing up of a period of parliamentary consideration on the budget. For budget 2012 and beyond, I urge the Leader to try and ensure that the Government adopts a different model for debating the budget and to ensure that both the Dáil and Seanad have a greater role in the process.

I would like to make a point with regard to health cuts. I hope the Minister for Health is also looking at cutting payments to consultants, who are paid six-figure sums. I sincerely hope he is looking at renegotiating GP contracts. Some GPs in certain parts of the country earn almost €1 million a year from the State, whereas GPs in England only earn up to between €100,000 and €150,000. We need to start with cuts at the top. If we do that and do a deal with those at the top, the people on lower pay will be prepared to share the burden. However, when they see bankers, consultants and other people still earning mega bucks, even though the country is effectively run from abroad, that is a concern. I ask the Leader to organise a debate on the economics of health and to examine how this House can play its part in returning to basics and basic health economics. What has happened is that we have a two-tier process. There is a gold-plated tier at the top, who are becoming multimillionaires in the health area, while the people at the bottom are suffering.