David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the 800 former IBRC workers who are on temporary contracts. It is important that the Minister for Finance come to the House to discuss what will happen to these workers. There was a presentation in the audio visual room in Leinster House last week at which we heard an account of many workers who were struggling to pay their mortgages and meet their family obligations. They face an uncertain future. Some of the terms of the redundancy arrangements previously agreed to are, apparently, not being met. There are, therefore, serious concerns among the workers and I ask the Minister for Finance to come to the House to discuss the matter.

I also ask for a debate on the HSE's service plans which are being rolled out across the State. The plans are very important and contain a mix of good and bad news for most areas. We should have an opportunity in the House to discuss these very important plans which will govern the way the State spends the huge amount of money put into the health sector. Spending on health care represents a large slice of overall Government spending, which makes it a hugely important area for all of us.

While there was some good news for the south east which I represent, in terms of new consultant posts and capital funding that may be made available at some point, there is a big issue coming to the fore and I ask the Acting Leader to arrange for the Minister for Health to come to the House to debate it. This is the big issue facing all hospitals in meeting the target set for outpatient activity. That target - that patients should see a consultant within 12 months - is laudable. However, owing to cutbacks in hospitals, beds being taken out of the system, wards being closed and the loss of staff, hospital management is not in a position to meet this target. We have the Minister for Health, on the one hand, setting very unrealistic targets for hospital management and, on the other, taking away from the hospitals, which makes it more difficult for them to meet these targets. I would welcome a debate specifically on that issue but also on the more broader issue of the regional health plans published in recent weeks.