David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The ministerial brief also states that even if we were to take all the capacity in the private system, it would still not be enough to make up the shortfall. There is an urgent need to bring this plan forward.

I have two final questions for the Minister. I refer to the Be on Call for Ireland initiative. According to the latest figures I received at the end of July, 1,639 front-line staff were available to come into the system, including 260 nurses, 341 doctors and 228 healthcare assistants. Since the end of July, how many of them have been offered work? People find it extraordinary that we have 1,600 front-line workers who could be brought into the system. We are also being told some beds are not operational because we do not have the staff. People are just amazed as to how we can have nurses, doctors and healthcare assistants available in what is called a "pool" to come in and they are not there.

Finally, he will be aware that there is a high-profile campaign by cancer patients and others to secure medical cards for terminally ill patients. A report is due on the Minister's desk in the next number weeks. When will that arrive? Is this something he still supports and is this something we will see in the budget later this year?