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SELECT COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND CHILDREN debate -
Thursday, 26 Jan 2006

Business of Select Committee.

On behalf of the select committee, I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Tim O'Malley, and his officials. Before we commence Committee Stage of the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005, Deputy McManus wants to raise an issue.

I propose that we invite the Minister for Health and Children to appear before the committee to address the extraordinary revelation yesterday that money went astray in the health budget in respect of the transfer from capital to current funding. We have a responsibility to examine this matter. We passed legislation in the House before the Health Service Executive was set up and a major issue arose regarding the role of the Accounting Officer. The Minister insisted that the function be given to the executive. I understand the Secretary General of the Department had a responsibility in this regard until the end of 2005. Therefore, the Minister who holds ultimate responsibility needs to come before the committee. I propose that we recall her in order that we can ask a major question on the management or perhaps mismanagement of the finances of the health service.

Perhaps the Deputy's proposal would be more appropriate to the Joint Committee on Health and Children which is due to meeting next Thursday. Perhaps we will raise the issue then.

Is the Chair saying I cannot raise it now?

The Deputy can raise it but it would be more appropriate to do so at the joint committee because the Minister will be appearing before it. This is the select committee and we have business to do today, namely, to commence Committee Stage of the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005.

I do not know if Deputy Gormley wants to speak about this.

It is very appropriate to raise the matter at this stage.

I have no problem with the Deputies raising it but I am saying it would be more appropriate to address it next Thursday.

Those of us who are members of the Joint Committee on Health and Children need the opportunity to express not only our disappointment but also our dismay at what has occurred. It is incredible that this practice can occur. We were told the reason for setting up the Health Service Executive was to ensure the health service would be run efficiently. We have now discovered not only do we have an extra layer of bureaucracy but that the executive is incompetent. It is sheer incompetence — nothing more, nothing less. Are members of the committee, particularly those of us in Opposition, expected to let it pass? It is our duty to hold the Government to account. One can pass the buck to the HSE but, ultimately, it stops with the Government, particularly the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. That is why she ought to be present to answer questions. To slip it in last night and for the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, to sheepishly announce it to the Dáil was not good enough. We need answers as quickly as possible.

Will the Tánaiste attend the meeting of the committee next Thursday? Will we have an opportunity to notify her of issues we want to raise, including topical matters such as the figure of €59 million in HSE spending? This flies in the face of what is happening in local hospitals in terms of casemix and the fact that 22 hospitals have had their budgets cut. The Pat Joe Walsh report is another matter I would like to discuss at the committee when the Tánaiste is present. We read in the newspapers about the closure of 15 psychiatric hospitals. It would be appropriate to put that issue on the agenda and discuss it rather than simply raising it——

The point I was making to Deputy McManus was that this was a select committee comprised only of Deputies. We are here to deal with specific legislation. I have no problem with the issue being raised at the joint committee next Thursday.

We have no other way of venting our——

We all want to have the Tánaiste present to discuss the issues raised by the Minister for Finance yesterday.

We have no other forum. We read of these issues——

We will have a forum next Thursday.

I accept the Vice Chairman's point. However, can we not arrange today that the Tánaiste will attend the joint committee next Thursday to answer these questions, rather than meeting again next Thursday to ask her to attend and then waiting one month?

I take the Deputy's point but I am advised that because this is the select committee, we do not have that authority per se . It is a decision for the joint committee.

Therefore, we cannot request——

I am sure we can request it as a select committee but whether we have the authority to do so is in question. It is purely a procedural matter.

The six Deputies present cannot request the Tánaiste——

I suggest we take on board Deputy Neville's point. We should ascertain whether the Tánaiste is available next Thursday, then raise the matter formally and seek to ensure the Tánaiste will be available either that day or the following Thursday. We could then have a special meeting. I suggest we incorporate the issue of the mental health report which we have still not received. I would like the Minister of State, Deputy O'Malley, to know that we are being treated extremely shabbily in getting information from the Department.

I asked the Tánaiste's office yesterday for a copy of the mental health report and was told I would receive it in a few days.

I made the point last week and will continue to make it. The committee is the only forum left but we are being treated shabbily by the Minister of State and the other Ministers in the Department. We are the last to receive information, which affects the way we defend the public interest. I urge that this bad habit be dealt with immediately to ensure it does not continue.

We will endeavour to ascertain whether the Minister is available to attend on Thursday next. If not, we will raise the issue then. Mr. Colm O'Gorman of the One in Four group is scheduled to attend next Thursday, as are groups concerned with magnetic radiation from telephone masts. There is a full agenda.

Perhaps a special meeting could be arranged for the following Thursday.

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