Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will not oppose the Order of Business.

I wish to raise a number of issues with the Leader. It has been reported on the front pages of today's newspapers and in the broadcast media that the current scenario of the IBRC's liquidation has been described as a sophisticated, intentional and fraudulent overcharging of customers. That is worrying because it was the testimony of Bankcheck to an American court. The Minister for Finance ought to make a statement to reassure people that this is not the case or to investigate the claims made because they are very serious.

Some weeks ago, when deputising for Senator Darragh O'Brien, I raised the issue of discretionary medical cards. I ask the Leader to raise it with the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, who might come to the House to discuss it. He gave assurances in the other House that a clinical panel would be put in place to ensure those suffering from chronic illnesses would have the benefit of consideration for discretionary medical cards. We have seen no evidence of such a clinical panel. It seems the only panel that has been put in place is one that has been told to ruthlessly save money and cut people off from the right to a discretionary medical card. We are aware that between 20,000 and 30,000 people have been removed from the system in recent years. This year alone, 1,000 people per month have lost their discretionary medical cards. That means more than 8,000 sick people have lost their discretionary medical cards.

All of us have experience of this at our clinics. All of us know people with chronic diseases who have been ruthlessly cut from the system. I ask for an update on the clinical panel put in place. Is it operating? Who is on it? What must one do to be considered for a discretionary medical card?

Today we received good news from the ESRI on its predictions for the year ahead, but there are somewhat mixed messages in which it queries the level of adjustment to be made in the budget. The institute suggests the adjustment should be €3.1 billion, but many of us are pleased that it will just be €2.5 billion. The Minister for Finance could usefully make an announcement relevant to the ESRI report as there are some concerns in that regard.

One point, in particular, that I have noticed in the report is that the growth the ESRI predicts next year is most likely to occur in the services sector. This is a reminder to the Government that it should retain the 9% VAT rate for the sector. It could be crucial to ensuring it is allowed to lead from the front and create the employment the ESRI believes it is capable of creating.