Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cheann Comhairle. Mar a deirtear, "chillax" más féidir. Tá an córas sláinte mar phríomhscéal sa nuacht go laethúil anois, le scéalta dona faoi gach lá. Tuairiscí faoi scannal, billí polaitiúla, scéalta athchóirithe agus áiteanna á ndruidim and no transparency. The Taoiseach is still refusing to publish the criteria for Government decisions. Last night his officials tried to obstruct the work of the Committee of Public Accounts.

Today the news is that Tallaght hospital has sought a €12 million overdraft and the Health Service Executive is running a deficit of €374 million. This is the Minister's fault and, more important, the fault of the Government with its policy of privatisation. It has failed completely to deliver promised savings, tackle consultants' pay or the price of drugs or recoup money from private health insurance companies. It has also failed to bring order to the HSE which is collapsing in crisis. The Taoiseach knows well that the victims of these failures are older citizens, patients and people with disabilities. Yesterday there were 63 citizens on trolleys in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and 327 on trolleys in hospitals across the State. All of them are victims of staff cuts, the recruitment embargo and cuts to agency staff numbers imposed by the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, and the Government. Given that every hospital has an overrun, will the Taoiseach indicate how many of them are running an overdraft and how many will run one before the end of the year?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Níor chuala mé an focal sin go dtí inné, an focal a dúirt an Teachta óg ansin, "chillax". Sin focal nua don fhoclóir.

The details of the overdraft of Tallaght hospital were published on the hospital's website last August. Every hospital signed on for a particular budget figure at the start of the year and we expect them to live within these figures, although that is obviously challenging. It is perfectly in order and within its remit for Tallaght hospital to seek an overdraft of €12 million until the end of the year. A number of other hospitals have availed of similar opportunities. The board of the hospital approved the request for the overdraft and, as I stated in answer to a previous question, the hospital's €4 million overdraft figure for 2011 was repaid in January 2012. Tallaght hospital continues to implement a range of changes which are transforming the effectiveness of the running of the hospital and delivery of services to patients. For instance, at 8 a.m. yesterday, there were four patients waiting in the hospital's emergency department; at 2 p.m. there were two patients waiting in the department.

Tallaght is an example of the delivery of health care services that has been transformed through the national clinical care programmes. It has reduced inpatient stays and increased day-of-surgery admissions. As the hospital’s finance director said this morning, patients attend the hospital on the day of their surgery which is more effective. The hospital also has improved the appropriate placing of patients in the community who have completed their acute treatment but require ongoing nursing care for a time. All of these changes have been undertaken with patient care and safety as a central and paramount issue.

Several other hospitals have had variations in budget. In the Health Service Executive, HSE, July performance report Beaumont Hospital was 13.3% over budget; the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle, Limerick, 18.9%; Galway University Hospitals, 8.4%; Cork University Hospital, 7.2%; and Tallaght hospital, 10.6%. As Deputy Adams is aware, hospitals can avail of an overdraft facility, the equivalent of 7.5% of their allocation, in the final quarter.

The delivery in hospitals of competent management is bringing about a situation where Tallaght is an example of having come from an excessive overdraft to a position where it has been reduced substantially, despite the fact it has a lower allocation and an increased inpatient throughput.

Hear, hear.

It is an example of real decisions for effective control of the budget and the real effective treatment of patients. That is evidenced by a higher throughput and more effective delivery of service for everyone. As I said to Deputy Martin, it is not a case of a continuous stream of disillusionment and despair that was put up with for too long.

The previous Administration just threw money at it.

That is not true. That is a myth that Deputy Howlin is perpetuating. It is just political rubbish.

What is happening is a generational reform of the health service. It is challenging. When this is completed, we will have a service which the people's money will be channelled through to ensure the effective delivery of health care for all patients. That is what everyone wants.

Once again the Taoiseach avoided the question.

Surprise, surprise.