Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

In respect of how it is rolled out, it requires an IT system which gathers all of the statistics which can then prove the savings and the improvement. That is being rolled out and nine co-ordinator positions have been advertised across the country. Nine co-ordinators at nursing grade will oversee that. The uplift at the pilot sites at Beaumont, Loughlinstown and Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda to meet the safe level of staffing has been maintained in the large wards and areas. However, in some instances it has not been maintained because of the normal recruitment issues. When the emphasis on the pilot was reduced, shall we say, funding then had to be found within the hospitals' budget. This requires national funding. It is national policy, agreed by Government and it was launched by the Minister for Health as a policy that will ensure good patient outcomes, safe levels of care and an economic way of staffing wards.