Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are splitting hairs. I would like to be clear. I am trying to find out exactly how many people were employed in the health services in 2014 or 2015 and to compare the number with how many people are employed now. There has been a considerable increase, ranging from 25% to 28%. That has to make a difference. That should be reflected in the delivery of the services to the public.

I went down through the list supplied in response to my parliamentary question carefully. I was much more careful than people might think. There was a good number of consultants at various levels, some to a greater extent than others. There are blanks in the system where there has been no major improvement, and we are not progressing in the way we should.

Although some deny it is the case, we pay top dollar for health services in this country. That is not a reflection on those who deliver the health services but, rather, the methodology of delivery. Unless we find what is wrong and slowing down the system, we will be doing the same thing here in five years time and this situation will never be resolved.