The new HSE national director of acute hospitals, Mr. Ian Carter, warned of further dysfunction if the Government kept taking money out of the system. Since yesterday, there has been a major lack of credibility with regard to the figures presented for the health budget and the proposed cuts of some €666 million. The Minister, Deputy Reilly, did not do a good job of explaining this yesterday. Many people were not impressed at the press conference and the general impression was that, to be fair, the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, dug him out of a hole and saved the day.

The figure involved is €666 million. Are the Secretary General of the Department of Health and the chief executive officer of the HSE standing over the figures? Do we have background documentation that can support the figures for each provision in that Estimate? When can we expect the promised Health Service Executive (financial matters) Bill, which deals with a statutory financial governance framework for the HSE? Will the Taoiseach confirm the accuracy and credibility of those figures?

The position is that, as the budget resolutions went through yesterday, the HSE must now prepare its service plan within 21 days to give effect to the plans it will implement based on that budget.

Obviously, that will come back to the Minister, and he must bring it to Cabinet to have it signed off. They can then get on with spending the moneys allocated.

Do they stand over the figures?

Of course.

There will be a debate on the budget after the Order of Business.