Section 38 funding questions
Senator Colm Burke criticises the generic answers received to detailed questions about €3.4 billion in funding for section 38 and 39 organisations.
I raise an issue of concern in regard to questions that are tabled at the health committee when I am looking for answers in the public interest. In September I tabled a question in regard to section 38 and 39 organisations which are receiving funding from the HSE and the Department of Health. Over €3.4 billion of the health budget is paid out to 2,680 organisations and I tabled a very specific question looking for specific answers. I am disturbed to find that I received a generic answer to the questions I tabled to the health committee in mid-October. I find that a report, which I understand was completed as far back as March this year, was not made available to me in that answer, yet it is now being made available to every member of the media who just writes a letter looking for it. I am appalled that the health committee was dealt with in this manner by the HSE and the Department and I am looking for answers as to why this report was not made available to the health committee in mid-October. We have an opportunity to table questions looking for answers and transparency once every three months. At least the Department and the HSE should have had the decency to advise us of the existence of the report and that it would be made available at some stage in the future. Not one sentence in that reply mentioned the existence of the report. I am appalled it is now being released to the media. As a member of the health committee and a spokesman on health for Fine Gael in this House, I still have not got a copy of the report. I am asking the Leader to raise this issue with the Minister and the Department in order that any Member of this House who tables a specific question at the health committee gets the answer.