James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am genuinely pleased to have been here today. The quality of the contributions has been excellent in the main and the debate has been stimulating and thought provoking and I am being genuine when I say that because some of the comments I have heard have re-energised me and made me glad that I have taken this job. When I conclude, I will do so in a forceful fashion.

A number of Senators have raised issues that have nothing to do with the Bill but they are important issues nonetheless and I will deal with them even though the Senators in question may have left the Chamber. In fairness they may have left because they did not think we would finish so quickly and I appreciate that.

Senator MacSharry asked if the same personnel would be involved and if there would be job losses. There will be job savings, although the Senator can call them job losses if he wishes. Will the same personnel be involved? Certainly not, we now have a new head of the HSE and a new person at the head of the Department of Health, with a new CEO of VHI. The Senator asked if there would be an increase in salaries. The previous incumbent in the HSE was on ¤320,000 per year plus a car allowance, the current incumbent is on ¤195,000 with no car allowance. The previous incumbent in the CEO position in VHI was on in excess of ¤400,000, the current incumbent is on ¤230,000 to ¤250,000. Not alone have we changed personnel, we have saved the taxpayer money.

The Senator said there is no plan but that is utterly untrue; there is a very clear plan. Time does not allow me today to go through the plan in its entirety but I will be happy to do so at another time. This Bill is an important step along the road.

The north-west region is an area of concern for me, particularly for 24 hour cardiac stenting. Today we are discussing the issue, and I will come to the hospital groups later, because I have been discussing those as well with Professor Higgins, who is carrying on his work as expeditiously as he can and he will come to me with a report later next month. I am glad to say, however, that I have been in contact with the Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, Edwin Poots MLA, by phone on a number of occasions and that he issued a statement saying that rather than looking to Britain, which one report on cardiac surgery for paediatrics recommended, he wishes to have an all-island approach and that we should plan our services together with that in mind. I am happy to do that. I have also discussed with him the issues around air ambulance cover for the Border area and the issue of cardiac catheterisation. We will both tour the facilities along the Border in the near future so we can familiarise ourselves with the situation. Both Departments have been examining the issue, not just the big ticket issues like the hospitals but the small items such as ambulances crossing the Border, GPs accepting patients from either side of the Border and GPs having different rotations. If there is a man in Blacklion who is miles from his colleagues but close to people across the Border, why would he not be part of that cooperative or on-call service?

The Senator asked why changes are not coming but I challenge him and say they are coming, they are here already. Despite the fact ¤1.75 billion has gone out of the health service in the last two years, and another ¤700 million will go this year, with 6,000 fewer staff, and despite certain political parties saying there would be calamity and catastrophe at the end of February when people left, there was no such calamity. We not alone maintained a safe service, but we improved it. We have done so in a way that is measurable and verifiable. There are 22% fewer people on trolleys so far this year in comparison with last year, despite those challenges. The number is 13,450 people, a figure verified by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. There has been an 85% reduction in those waiting longer than one year for an in-patient procedure, a 63% reduction for those waiting longer than six months, and an 18% reduction for those waiting longer than three months. That is real, measurable and verifiable. There are 800 fewer children on waiting lists this year than at this point last year. I remind Senators there have not been any cuts to home helps or reduction in personal assistant hours.

I am happy to acknowledge when I make mistakes and I will make more because, as the adage goes, the man who made no mistakes made nothing. I had the 55 top managers of the HSE and Department of Health in a room in Dr. Steevens's Hospital two weeks ago and that was the first time it had happened since the HSE was formed. I said to them that I want to empower them to go out and try new things and when they try them and they work, I will laud them and if they do not work, I will support them in order that they can go out and try something new again. I will not castigate people or operate in an atmosphere of fear. I want people to be innovative and think outside the box, which is what Irish people are good at. I will return to that issue.

I am sorry to say it to Senator MacSharry but to have to listen to talk of cynicism from Fianna Fáil, I will not even comment on it.