In last week's budget the Government made a conscious decision to under-fund the health system. That is well established. The impact is going to be felt by those unable to get a hospital bed, those who will remain on long waiting lists and thousands of seriously ill patients who may not be able to access potentially life-saving medicines. The Government is now playing the blame game, blaming the HSE chief executive, Bernard Gloster, for being too transparent; blaming the Sinn Féin health spokesperson, Deputy Cullinane, for being too effective in holding the Government to account. Fine Gael is blaming the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. Fianna Fáil is blaming the Minister, Deputy Donohoe. Is the truth of it not that it is the Tánaiste, the Taoiseach and Deputy Eamon Ryan who sat down and agreed this with their Cabinet colleagues? They are to blame for under-funding the health system. What is the Tánaiste going to do about that? What is he going to do about the devastating consequences this decision will have for patients right across the health service next year? Does he accept the system is under-funded and what is he going to do about it?

The Deputy should have listened to my reply to Deputy Bacik, who raised this issue in a substantive way on Leaders' Questions. I said it was a Government decision to bring in this budget between all of the Estimates for every Government Department. I upheld the right of the CEO of the HSE to engage with Deputies across the House. It is not the first time the CEO has done this.

The Tánaiste should talk to his Ministers, three of them together.

All of what the Deputy raised, I answered very clearly in terms of what I believe in respect of the HSE chief being in a position----

The question is whether the Tánaiste accepts the under-funding of the health system.

Sorry now, we are not going to start this racket again. The Deputy has asked a question. Do the Tánaiste the courtesy of letting him answer.

In respect of the budget I would make the point that the Government has allocated something very similar to what the Sinn Féin Party proposed in its alternative budget.

With respect, we allocated €2.5 billion. The Government allocated €800 million.

I do not think the Deputy is in a strong position.

Resume your seat.

I am not going to allow----

If the Deputy interrupts again I will suspend the House.

I am not going to allow the Tánaiste to mislead the Dáil on this issue.

Do not shout at me, Deputy, please. Do not attempt to further disrupt the House. If you do, I will suspend proceedings. Would the Tánaiste conclude, please?

I have concluded.

On a point of order, the Tánaiste is misleading the Dáil deliberately on this issue.

There is no point of order. Resume your seat.