Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will come to that and I agree. When I advocate for the ending of this contract, it is not to go back to the status quowhere public patients cannot access it. I am just trying to get a sense for the total quantum of care that we can now deliver to people in this country. I do not really care if they are public or private; they are people who need care. If there are 10,000 fewer of them having surgery this month because of what I think everyone knows is a bad deal, that is worth putting on the record. I have a quick question and would like a general response. In terms of value for money, am I right in thinking that under this contract, for the last few months and for this month, public money will be used to have private patients as well as some public patients treated in private hospitals by private doctors? Essentially, operations and procedures that would normally be paid for by the insurance companies are being paid for out of the public purse.