Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

I am sure Senators have read this morning's newspaper reports about the HSE withholding travel costs from staff. I call on the Minister to intervene to determine whether this is legal. Front line workers, for example, community carers and community nurses, will not be reimbursed for their travel expenses until at least two months after these expenses have been incurred. Many home care workers who look after the elderly live from week to week and will not have enough money to put petrol in their cars if they are not given this subsistence expense. They depend on it. Given that we are nearing Christmas, I want the Minister to investigate whether the HSE's decision is legal. Companies and local authorities must pay within 30 or 40 days. The HSE has a duty of care to people working on the front line. It is interesting that low-paid community carer workers and community nurses as opposed to highly paid administrative staff are being targeted. If the HSE removed some of the duplication in administrative roles, it would have plenty of money to stay within budget while paying its front line staff. The HSE's decision hits below the belt. Will the Minister intervene?

Senator Eamonn Coghlan referred to the president of the Olympic Council of Ireland resigning from the Olympic task force. There might be two sides to the story, given that funding was not provided for a facility that the president sought. I would also like the advocacy of the mingling of sport and drink in a pub-type system brought out into the open.