Every day brings a new revelation about the health services and the scandal of top-ups to senior executives continues to escalate. Hardly a week goes by without some revelation of how corruption and the culture which underpins it has contaminated many sectors of this State. I do not make this charge against the Government, although it has a duty to bring about the necessary changes and reforms in this regard. The issue of top-ups is part of a wider problem arising from a culture embedded in this State of rewarding the elite by punishing ordinary decent citizens. The State's saddling of citizens with private banking debt is a perfect example of this. So, too, is the Government's top-up of its special advisers' pay in breach of its own guidelines.

In this regard we need look no further back than yesterday when the HSE told families affected by narcolepsy that they would not get payments because they were suing the State. While the HSE director general has apologised for this, it is an informative insight into how the State works. Citizens were to be punished because they stood up for their rights. Children are kept in hospital because of a failure to provide them with home care packages. All the while, executives are allowed to top up their pay, often with charitable contributions.

Hearings by the Committee of Public Accounts into the CRC are important. It is vital that the former chief executive, Mr. Brian Conlan, and other personnel co-operate with the committee. Will the Taoiseach acknowledge that this problem is bigger than the CRC and that there is an onus on the Government to establish an inquiry into all independent and voluntary health agencies that are HSE funded? Citizens have the right to a full understanding of the scale and extent of this scandal. Will the Taoiseach accept that a full independent inquiry is now needed to get to the full facts of this scandal?

The Deputy started by saying that every day brings new revelations about other things.

The Deputy is dead right.

The Deputy is correct and that does not just apply to the health service or issues about charities and so on.

That is not the question.

Deputy Adams knows what I am talking about.

The Taoiseach needs to stop talking gobbledygook and answer the question.

Deputy Adams is a great man for answering questions.

This is Leaders' Questions. The Taoiseach should answer the question asked.

Deputy Adams knows a great deal about gobbledygook.

Answer the question.

It is a pity Deputy Adams would not answer the questions. I note he has been seeking debates about the past.

Is the Taoiseach taking up the offer?

Perhaps before getting into that Deputy Adams would answer some questions himself.

We saw Deputy Mac Lochlainn beaten into submission to give the same message.

Does the Taoiseach see the men of violence all around him? He should look at all those statues.

Thank you, without interruption, please.

The question that Deputy Adams asked about-----

Deputy Mac Lochlainn is embarrassing himself.

The question that Deputy Adams asked about top-up payments is the subject of a direction from the Minister for Health to the HSE to deal with this matter, whereby unapproved unauthorised top-up payments that breached the public pay service agreement were paid to certain personnel. The section 38 agencies have been called in before the HSE this week. The Central Remedial Clinic is in before the Committee of Public Accounts tomorrow. I expect there will be frank exchanges at all of these meetings. I do not agree that this warrants an independent public inquiry. I believe that the instructions given by the Minister for Health will be seen through by the HSE and, for its part, by the Committee of Public Accounts, in the discussions they have.

I came in here to ask the Taoiseach a question which is pertinent to what is happening at this time. It is about revelations which have scandalised citizens. He then goes on a meander which is beyond my comprehension. If the Taoiseach wants to have a debate about the past or about any other issue, I am happy to do that with him. We can arrange that at any time in any place that the Taoiseach is prepared to have that debate with me. We will examine the role of the Taoiseach's party historically, the role of the leaders of the Taoiseach's party historically as well as my role and the role of anyone else involved in Irish republicanism. However, the Taoiseach should not use that issue to dodge the question.

Could we have a question, please?

The fact is that the issue of top-ups and two-tierism is bigger. I commend and appreciate the work of the Committee of Public Accounts but this is a bigger issue. The Proclamation makes it very clear that citizens have the right to equality. It does not state that is so unless a person is disabled or a child from Galway who has been stuck in hospital for life or because a person is sick. It says that all citizens have the right to equality.

Thank you, Deputy. A question, please.

Is it because-----

Will you stay quiet, please? Thank you.

If it is because-----

Including the right to life, Deputy Adams should note.

The Minister, Deputy Shatter, should not nauseate me. Is it because-----

Would you please allow the question? You are over time, Deputy. Thank you.

I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, but I expect that I should have order to put the question.

I am trying to do that, but do not respond.

Try a little harder, with respect.

Excuse me, I do not need any lectures from you about how I respond.

Will the Taoiseach explain, now that he has said he will not have a full inquiry, why he will not have one? Citizens want to know what is happening within our health services. They want to know what is happening to money which they give to charities for dedicated causes and which are being used to top up already exorbitant payments to these top executives.

Thank you, Deputy. You are over time.

Will the Taoiseach explain why he will not have a full inquiry?

Sometimes I wonder from what direction Deputy Adams is approaching the subject. He started off by making a comment and not asking a question.

I am allowed to do that.

The statement from Deputy Adams was that every day brings new revelations. If Deputy Adams wants to have a debate about the past, then he should start by clarifying for everyone in the country whether he was a member of the IRA. No one believes him.

Let us have the debate.

Deputy Adams continues to live his lie.

Let us have the debate. The Taoiseach should think about what his party has done.

Excuse me, this is Leaders' Questions and there is a time limit. Please answer or reply to the supplementary question.

Deputy Ferris was not authorised-----

We can have the debate any time.

-----or those in his cell group were not authorised and were off duty when they perpetrated one of the greatest crimes ever in this country.

I put it to Deputy Adams that the Government is actively pursuing the question of the health service and the issues that have arisen following an audit of the section 38 hospitals and disability agencies. I agree with Deputy Adams that it is scandalous position to expect people to voluntarily give of their direct debits, flag days, voluntary commitment for collections for charities when they are uncertain whether these efforts are going to the children, adults and the facilities for which they were intended.

Then the Taoiseach should have an inquiry.

If we were to follow the logic of Deputy Adams and have another independent inquiry, we would still be inquiring in three or four years' time. The Minister for Health has given a specific instruction to the HSE to call in the section 38 agencies tomorrow. The CRC will be before the Committee of Public Accounts. Does Deputy Adams not believe in the democratic process?

Of course I do.

He does. Then, in that case, he should allow the opportunity for the HSE to follow through on the Minister's instructions and engage with these agencies directly to see what is the true situation. The same applies in respect of the CRC with-----

The IRA?

-----the personnel there.

I have this to say to Deputy Adams: the fact that the CRC has over the years provided an outstanding service to 4,000 people speaks for itself of the value of what it does. The diversion of some of the contributions and some of the opportunities for top-up payments is a matter that is now being examined. As I said before, the Government has made it clear that unauthorised payments that have breached the public service agreement are not warranted and not acceptable and the matter has to be addressed. It will be addressed.

When?

As quickly as possible-----

Thank you, we are way over time.

-----following the analysis by the HSE of the section 38 agencies and charities, and, for its part, the Committee of Public Accounts with the Central Remedial Clinic.