Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree. While Dr. Glynn has been answering questions I had an opportunity. I very much appreciate all of the questions he is answering. His advice is key not just to the State's health response but also how the economy functions at present. The Robert Koch Institute, which is one of the primary institutes looking at this in Germany, very much backs up the figures Dr. Glynn cited. I am not disputing the figures. I am saying if the figures are correct and Dr. Glynn knows about them and is making decisions here based on them, then surely the health authorities in those countries know about them. I am wondering why they are arriving at very different decisions.

Is it not the case that our health system is quite bad but if we continue on the road we are on economically, we will not be able to fund the health system we used to have, much less the health system we so desperately need? This may not be a consideration for Dr. Glynn. I am not saying it is not a consideration for him but he is a health official and he is doing a very difficult job, and I acknowledge this, but his primary responsibility is solely for health. As Mr. Reid acknowledged earlier, we also have to be able to fund our health system.