Listening to RTE Radio's "Liveline" programme the other day was a harrowing experience for many people. The broadcast featured Louise Mac An tSaoi, the mother of Liam Mac An tSaoi, a young child who is spending his fourth Christmas in Crumlin Children's Hospital. This is as a result of the failure of the health authorities to provide the necessary supports and funding to enable Liam to go home to Galway this Christmas. This is despite being promised by the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, more than 18 months ago that Liam would be sent home and would have the resources to enable him to return to Galway. That promise was broken and the situation is causing enormous strain on the family. Louise gave an account of her own experiences and those of the family as a result of this significant failing. Liam was born prematurely, has had up to 15 operations and requires 24-hour care. Incredibly, despite the fact that the Minister, Deputy Reilly, has been aware of this for more than two years, the package has not been put in place to enable Liam to go home so that the family can spend Christmas together this year. I am highlighting this case because it illustrates the degree to which the health service is at breaking point in terms of providing basic and proper care packages for many sick children and adults.

This case is separate from that of the seven tracheostomy babies of whom we are also aware. They are fit to go home but cannot be discharged because of the lack of proper home-care packages being put in place. The Minister has been aware of this and yet it continues.

A question please.

These are shocking cases. No mother should have to go on "Liveline" to highlight such a case, which has shocked many people. Will the Taoiseach ensure that the Government provides the requisite resources to enable Liam Mac An tSaoi and other children in similar situations to return home this Christmas? Will the Taoiseach change his policy direction on the health service? He is ploughing ahead with a €666 million cut that it simply cannot take. I meet workers at all levels of the health service around the country who are telling us that the system is at breaking point. Health staff at every level, from clerical officers to frontline workers, are saying that morale has never been lower and they are at their wit's end. It is therefore time for a change of policy on the health service because it can take no more.

The Deputy should know; he was there.

I do not have the details of the case Deputy Martin has raised. I would assume that if any child is in a fit medical condition to be allowed home, he or she will be. If, as Deputy Martin said, this little child requires an exceptional level of attention, I do not think that can be classed as what the Deputy called a basic level.

Clearly, if the child is to go home, there is a duty to ensure that the package of care surrounding any child released in those circumstances is fully effective in the interests of the health of that child. I do not know if, in the context of the home care package, the problem is that there is, according to what Deputy Martin heard the child's mother say, an element of professionalism or expertise lacking in it or if it is a question of the money surrounding it. I do not have an answer to that question but I will get it for the Deputy. No parent should feel that his or her child cannot be sent home because of an issue surrounding the extent or quality of a home care package. It is an issue that I will follow up on.

In regard to Deputy Martin's comments on the health services in general, the Health Service Executive has forwarded its draft plan in respect of the delivery of services in 2014 to the Minister for Health. The Minister is currently examining the plan and has a specific length of time in which to amend or approve it. The impact of the health service plan must be the protection of front-line services and the personnel who deliver them. Patient care must and will be the central tenet of that plan. The Minister for Health will make his recommendations on the draft plan as submitted and will then bring it to the attention of the House. The fundamental issue is the quality of service delivered by professionals on the front line. Any adjustment in allocation must in the first instance ensure protection of those services. This is where the emphasis of the Minister will be.

I will follow up on the case raised by the Deputy.

The Minister for Health is aware of the case of Liam Mc An tSaoi and promised two years ago that he would not have to spend another Christmas in Crumlin children's hospital. Liam's family are from Galway and will require the support of Galway University Hospital. Liam's mother Louise is a trained nurse. The issue is one of funding and an inability to put together a package to allow for Liam's safe discharge from Crumlin children's hospital.

In regard to home care packages, the Taoiseach is aware that there are seven babies in Crumlin children's hospital who have had tracheotomies inserted and also cannot go home. The advocacy group involved has stated that the numbers in this regard are at crisis level. We are all aware of the challenges and difficulties in facilitating families in these situations in terms of bringing their children home and so on. The absence of funding and resources is preventing these children from leaving Crumlin children's hospital.

A question, please.

I referred earlier to morale in the health service. I invite the Taoiseach to speak to the nurses and doctors on the front line, those who work in the disability services and to clerical workers. When one meets anybody working in the health service, the message consistently is that morale is at an all time low and that patient safety is and will continue to be compromised if the health service plan, in terms of the level of cuts proposed, is accepted, which the Taoiseach envisages will be the case. I believe if the plan is accepted patient safety will be compromised and far more cases of the type I have outlined will be raised in this House.

The Deputy has spoken previously to nurses, doctors, patients and the people. He was an exceptionally talented Minister in terms of the production of reports without back-up action. I take his confirmation of having spoken to nurses, doctors and people at large without a large grain of salt.

Hear, hear.

I understand that the little boy concerned, Liam, has spent all of his life in Crumlin children's hospital and is now facing into his fourth Christmas there. I would like to confirm a couple of facts for Deputy Martin. Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin has been liaising with Galway University Hospital in regard to the case of little Liam. The HSE has advised that Galway University Hospital will facilitate the transfer of Liam as soon as is possible. Senior nursing staff at Galway University Hospital have already visited Our Lady's Children's Hospital to assess the child's needs. Full details and an equipment list have been sent to Galway University Hospital. Both hospitals will continue to work together to get Liam to the hospital in Galway as soon as possible.

Four years.

I understand that senior staff at Galway University Hospital are in the process of identifying and recruiting staff so that the child's particular care needs can be delivered much closer to his home in Galway. A home care package application was submitted in March 2012 but it was not followed through as the little boy was deemed medically not fit for discharge shortly after this. I do not know the medical details involved but I have undertaken to follow up on the case with the Minister, Deputy Reilly, in the interests of Liam's mother and his family.

A promise was made two years ago to effect a transfer.