Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Ministers with responsibility for health will be in the House for much of the day, between the Committee Stage debate on the Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill and the Private Members' motion this evening. However, in light of events yesterday it is of vital importance that in the first instance, the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, be here himself and at the very least, he uses this opportunity to provide clarity in respect of the situation that unfolded at yesterday's meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts. In my opinion and that of my colleagues, the manner in which two people, whose cumulative salaries are close to ¤400,000 per annum, tried to manipulate a process in advance of a Committee of Public Accounts hearing to give information they chose to give but not information that was sought was an affront to the Oireachtas, the political system and ultimately the people of Ireland. During their opening statement, their demeanour and attitude was such as to give the impression that they run the health service and would let the committee members know what the witnesses wanted them to know, when they wanted the members to know it. This behaviour is unacceptable and in the interests of the integrity of this House and the Oireachtas, it is imperative that the Leader uses his good offices to prevail upon the Minister to make a statement on this matter to prevail upon the two individuals concerned, who between them earn nearly ¤500,000 per year, to apologise to the people of Ireland for the flippant and disrespectful manner in which they addressed the most important and historic committee of the Houses of the Oireachtas yesterday.

Members have learned that as of the end of August, the overrun in respect of the Health Service Executive, HSE, was ¤329 million. One month later, it was ¤45 million more. Last April, it was advised in these Houses, in media interests and by the former chief executive officer of the HSE, Cathal Magee, that unchecked, this would head for ¤500 million. How right he was, as we are on course for an overrun of ¤500 million. Nothing has been seen in respect of the so-called collection of moneys from the insurance companies. Similarly, no cumulative savings in spending on drugs will have been achieved by the end of the year. No thanks to the Committee of Public Accounts or the two people in receipt of ¤500,000 per year, one learned yesterday from RTE, the national broadcaster, and not those who supposedly run the health service, that Tallaght Hospital is to get an overdraft of ¤12 million. One did not hear this information from the aforementioned individuals at the Committee of Public Accounts meeting yesterday and neither did they reveal that this overdraft facility was secured with a letter of comfort from the HSE. What about Sligo Regional Hospital, which has an overrun? What about Beaumont or the many other hospitals that have substantial overruns? Who will finance them? The deficit is growing at ¤45 million per month. The Minister is in absolute denial and continues with his headless chicken approach to the management of the finances of the HSE.

We were told some months ago that the new dream team in health would have it all under control but their opening shot to the arms of democracy was that they would tell us what was going on and how things would be done when it suited them. These same people were not able to tell us where the savings would be made and that there would be no cuts to front-line services.

On another issue, we are still waiting to find out how the primary care centres were chosen. One thing Mr. O'Brien told us yesterday was that to the best of his knowledge, as chief executive officer designate, nobody in the HSE had anything to do with selecting those centres. Will the Leader agree that, as the Tánaiste rightly said, we need absolute clarity and statements on this situation? I hope he will prevail on the Minister to ensure that he will use the opportunity today to make the situation on these very important issues very clear.

We will not table an amendment to the Order of Business on the basis that there will be opportunities throughout the day to clarify these issues. However, if there is not, we will highlight them every day because the farce that has become the management of our health service must come to an end.