Yesterday the Taoiseach came to the defence of the Minister for Health and listed the so-called improvements the latter has made since taking charge of his Department. I would like to outline some of the achievements that the Taoiseach failed to mention. Front line services are being cut and the closure of essential facilities continues. The elderly, the disabled and the vulnerable are being targeted to bear the brunt of this. Across the country, savage cuts are being targeted at all these groups. Gynaecology wards are being closed and hospitals are instructed to make massive cuts between now and the end of the year. Letterkenny General Hospital has to cut €3.5 million from its budget between now and December. This is the most efficient hospital in the country. Hundreds of thousands of home help hours are being cut. Personal assistance hours for the disabled are being targeted on a case-by-case basis. Community X-ray units are being closed because the embargo means cover cannot be provided.

The Taoiseach also mentioned so-called savings as if they will make no impact. He stated that €63 million in savings will be made through more focused cash management and quoted travel as one of these savings as if it affects nobody. I would like him to comment on one of these travel cuts. Child and adolescent mental health services in HSE west have stopped travelling out to meet vulnerable young people who depend on the support of these services and are at real risk of self-harm and worse if they cannot access them. In County Donegal, only two clinics will now be run in Donegal town and Letterkenny. The clinics in Dungloe, Killybegs, Buncrana and Ballybofey have all been cancelled. Children and young people have been left without help. In many cases children have to access these services on their own because their parents are the cause of their problems. Does the Taoiseach stand over these cuts? The public has no confidence in his Government, never mind the Minister for Health. Will the Taoiseach tell us what we can expect when he cuts a further €750 million from next year's health budget or will we get another work of fiction in the Estimates?

Deputy Pringle always comes up with the same rant whenever he gets an opportunity to ask a question.

That is outrageous.

What about the Taoiseach's rant in Roscommon?

Say that to the people of County Donegal.

Do Deputies mind?

I will see them on Sunday.

Do not trivialise the issue.

Could we have a reply, please? I do not know whether Members heard me but I called the Taoiseach.

Prior to the summer recess Deputy Pringle stated in the House that it was time that people like him contributed more. He has not paid his household charge. He sits in this House as an elected representative from County Donegal. That €100 would go in part on allowing Donegal's local authority to offer some element of a provision for facilities in that county.

Hear, hear.

Rubbish.

Are local authorities responsible for health services?

He might start living up to his responsibility as an elected representative. He outlined a series of difficulties and challenges in the health service. These are true. Has the Minister, Deputy Reilly, ever stated in this House that it would be easy?

Yes.

Has he ever pointed out that it would be simple to turn around a structure that has been-----

Do Deputies mind? They had their turn.

-----like a runaway train for so many years, without accountability to the extent we would like? The inefficiencies built in sucked up money year after year with no increase in output, productivity, efficiency or focus on the patient. I am glad that in the past 15 months significant improvements have been made and I commend those people in the front line services who are now doing more work with less after the change at the end of February. I commend all those who have gone to the Labour Relations Commission and have made significant progress regarding consultants and what that means for discharges, extra employment for consultants and new structures and rates. When I see the agenda of what is lined up in front of the Minister in terms of dealing with the question of the national children's hospital, a new national maternity hospital, the future of the small local hospitals to be grouped in clusters-----

They are being closed.

-----the changes that have been brought about in the VHI, the implementation of the special delivery unit, which has had a very beneficial impact on trolleys, waiting times and those who have been waiting for longer than 12 months or nine months for treatment, and in regard to the numbers of children who have been waiting a long time for certain treatments, I admit this is not an easy challenge for him and his two Ministers of State.

If he talked it would be easier.

It cannot and will not happen overnight but he is focused on bringing about a situation whereby the health system in this country is transformed into a single tier system in which the focus is on the patient, the money follows the patient, public taxpayers have accountability for the lines of spending throughout the health system-----

What parallel universe is this?

-----and the obscenity of waste that has obtained for years is eliminated and the money transferred into the facilities and provision of the best treatment for every patient. It cannot happen overnight. The issues to which Deputy Pringle referred are all up for consideration. The Minister and his Ministers of State, on behalf of the programme for Government, have made a significant impact in the right direction in a short time.

Doctors do not agree.

It is ironic on the day the wording for a referendum on children's rights is to be announced that children and vulnerable young people are suffering from these cuts. The Taoiseach's message to them is suck it up because there is going to be more of the same. Does he stand over these cuts which will leave vulnerable young people without access to the mental health services they require? Is that what his Government is saying to them?

No. There are 800 fewer children on waiting lists due to the efforts of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, over the past 15 months.

Answer the question.

You do not want to hear the answer.

Does Deputy Pringle think it reasonable for anybody to stand up to announce his or her philosophy is nothing but cutting public services at the front line? That is why it is necessary we implement the maximum measures we can achieve out of the Croke Park agreement and to achieve the maximum savings so there will be a minimal impact on the potential for reduction in public services. This is not easy. We have all seen the marches around the country, where the centres of excellence for cancer were established and where other issues of major importance in every constituency in the country became effective.

The Taoiseach opposed every one of them, and the Minister, Deputy Reilly, did the same.

The Minister, Deputy Reilly, is transforming the public health system into one that is efficient, accountable and transparent and which puts the patient in focus and allows the money allocated to follow the patient. That change cannot be effected overnight. It is heading in the right direction and significant progress has been made in the past 15 months. There are 800 fewer children on waiting lists now compared to when the Minister was appointed.