Yesterday, when speaking about the health service, the Taoiseach said that, overall, the service provided had not diminished in its impact or effect and that while costs had been extracted from the delivery of health services, there had been no diminution in their quality. He said this on the very day the Irish Emergency Medicine Trainees Association sent a letter to HIQA stating current conditions in emergency departments were unequivocally dangerous for patients and staff, that mortality would rise and that we would see poorer patient outcomes as a result of the cuts in emergency medicine alone.

We also know what Tony O'Brien, the director of the HSE, stated about the 2014 service plan - that it would not be possible to meet fully the growing demands being placed on the health service. We are only nine days into the health service plan for 2014 and dire warnings are already emerging from a range of sectors in the health service. With regard to promised legislation, when will the Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Bill come before the House? Is there any prospect whatsoever of a change of stance from the Government in terms of its endless attack on front-line health services?

The Bill has already been published and is waiting to come into the system here.

When?

It has already been published.

When will it come in?

They are not very happy with a lot of stuff going on in here. We cannot do everything together and we must have a structure to fit Bills into the system so they can be debated. The Whip will arrange it. We will have a full debate in the House next week on the Health Service Executive plan, as I committed to in the House. Everybody will have their say on it and any other issues they wish to raise.