David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is not an answer my question. The HSE planned to have 800 by the end of the year. In my view, it should have at least 800 today but it does not. Whether staff left for whatever reason is irrelevant from my perspective. The HSE has to plan and make sure that we have a tracing regime that is fit for purpose. If there will be 800 by the end of the year, why do we not have 800 today? Why were staff not recruited during the summer months when we needed them as a second wave came? We are in the middle of it now and we only have 591. It is an obvious and direct question. Why were the additional staff that were needed not hired earlier? Why has the recruitment process only started over the past number of weeks?