Mr. Robert Watt:

That is a very impressive achievement across the board. I am sure the Deputy sees that all the time too, when he is interacting with parts of the public service. The numbers are not there anymore. People have seen a large number of reductions, budgets have been cut yet the system has been sustained. Of course there are problems, but the system has been sustained and in many places we have managed to increase the output. I particularly mention the much maligned HSE. The committee will have the opportunity to talk to its representatives the next time they appear before it, but if one looks at the basic data in terms of the increase in the number of procedures, the basic outputs and the inputs, it is a very impressive improvement.