Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I call for a debate on sport and sport development in this country early in the new year. Specifically, this debate should focus on the areas of the sustainability of some of our sporting bodies, such as the FAI and the IRFU. It is important to have the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, in the House for a full debate on how sport in general is funded and on which areas are well resourced and which are not. It is important to provide time for this debate early in the new year.

In regard to the pyrite Bill, which will establish the pyrite resolution board on a statutory basis, I understand it is to be introduced next Monday. This House has done a lot of work in this area. I ask for adequate time to be provided for this Bill and for time to be allowed between the various Stages so that we may revert to groups like the Pyrite Action Group and others for feedback from those affected. It is important adequate time is provided over a number of days. I welcome the Bill, although I have not seen it yet. We need time to examine it properly to ensure it is right and that the board starts off on a proper footing. I ask the Leader to request the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to ensure this time is provided.

I also call for a debate on the issue of health. The Department of Health is in meltdown. We were looking at an overspend this year of €351 million, but putting it mildly, through some very questionable accounting measures the Government has now brought this down to a €219 million supplementary payment that will have to be made to the Department of Health and the HSE to balance the books this year. This is being put in the context that next year the Government, apparently, will cut between €666 million and €1 billion from the health budget. The Minister for Health has had the service plan for almost two weeks now, but he has not published it. He will not do so because, as I said weeks ago, this is being staged to ensure the Minister publishes the HSE service plan when neither House is sitting.

I guarantee Members that this plan will be published towards the end of next week or early the following week so that there will be no scrutiny of it and that the Minister and the Government hope people will have forgotten about it by the time the Dáil and Seanad return on 16 January. I assure the House we will not forget about it. This is one of the most underhanded measures the Minister for Health and the Government have taken to date. This plan is months in the making and the Minister has delayed it time and again, purely to get to the Christmas recess. That is the only reason it has been delayed. We could be debating the plan this week and assisting make improvements in areas where we believe savings can be made.

The health service will not function with €1 billion removed from it. It is in meltdown at the moment. The Minister has proven time and again that he is not up to the job. I want the Minister to come to the House in our first week back to stand over the service plan of his HSE appointees. All of the people who serve on the board of the HSE are his appointees. The HSE plan is his plan and his Government's plan and it needs to be debated in full in early January.