Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witness. Every member will have seven minutes to interact across the floor. We would appreciate it if members could be concise with their questions, and perhaps the Minister would be concise with his answers so that we can move along speedily.

Why was the Sláintecare office not set up in the Department of the Taoiseach rather than in the Department of Health, as recommended in the Sláintecare report? Given the nature of building in Ireland, particularly the building of hospital beds, when does the Minister expect the first new hospital bed to be built and available? I understand that most of the capital resources are going into the completion of the children's hospital at the moment, which will not be completed until 2021 or 2022.

Why is there no reference whatsoever in the Sláintecare implementation strategy to the setting up of a national health fund, which was a central component of the Sláintecare recommendations on how this would be funded going into the future?