Dr. Gabrielle Colleran:

I will take the first question for the IHCA. Unfortunately, the short answer is that there has been a lack of engagement by the Government and management despite our best efforts. We are seeking practical workable solutions. As Deputy Shortall outlined, when I was before the health committee some years ago there were 500 vacancies. There are now 728 vacancies. We are also facing a glut of retirements in the coming two or three years because of the way posts came on in the late 1990s. Those retirements are coming. The national doctors training and planning unit of the HSE is telling us we need a 51% increase in acute hospital posts. I look to the excellent trainees I am involved in supervising and training. They look to me and ask whether there is a solution coming and whether they will have enough colleagues for manageable workloads and safe call rosters. They ask whether they will have to work in a system where there is consistent moral injury from the lack of capacity. I am concerned we will see them leave once travel opens up again.