There is a need for a debate on the issue of section 38 and section 39 organisations. I appreciate that it is being considered by the Committee of Public Accounts. It is important that information is out there. When I first raised this matter last September at the Joint Committee on Health and Children - I raised it again in October - I suggested that some €3.48 billion was being paid to 2,680 organisations. A number of journalists contacted me to say that figure was incorrect. I asked a question last Thursday about the fact that the pay rules which apply to HSE staff do not apply to section 39 organisations. I do not have the 2013 figures, but I am aware that in 2012 some €812 million was paid to section 39 organisations that are not governed by the same rules. It is time we had a debate on this whole issue.

Hear, hear.

The Department and the HSE wrote to all the section 39 organisations on 10 December last to advise them that under the service level agreements for 2014, the salaries of management and CEOs must be disclosed in full before funding is paid. It is a little late, but it is welcome. We should have a debate because there could be other cases in which we are paying a substantial sum of money to an organisation in the absence of transparency. A debate would be helpful because it would allow us to tease out those issues. We are talking about a great deal of money. Over 25% of the health budget is being allocated to organisations which are not under the direct control of the Department or the HSE. We are accountable to taxpayers. It is important that these organisations are also accountable to the taxpayers who are funding them.