Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have two questions. To follow-on on the waiting lists, I am told that there are almost 900,000 people on the waiting lists at present. That is down to Covid, certainly. It has tested our healthcare system and pushed it to the brink. We have also seen embargoes on staff recruitment, pay issues, a specialist retention crisis and a lack of investment in physical capacity all contribute to a weakened health service. We need to invest in capacity, in beds, theatres, equipment and staffing levels and some of the things we have covered here today.

The stated objective of the Sláintecare implementation plan for the next two years is to have no outpatient waiting for more than ten weeks for a procedure. How likely is it that we will reach that target? While Ms Magahy stated earlier on that it is over four years, that target was two years.

It was mentioned by a number of the members today that under a Sláintecare recommendation, the Government set a target for overall mental health funding of 10% by 2025. That is four years away. Mental health receives less than 2% of Sláintecare funding and the budgetary allocation of €50 million for mental health care is only 1% of the overall health budget for 2021. Many would say that it is a failed opportunity to significantly increase the funding for mental health services. What practical evidence has Ms Magahy that the Government will come close to the 10% target? Is Ms Magahy aware of or has she seen any plans on how we would reach this 10%? We as a committee have set up a sub-committee on mental health because of the overall challenges that we face as a committee in that regard, not only from Covid but, as other members have said, from other challenges in society as well. Covid has put everything related to services under pressure with staffing being allocated to different areas etc. Is there a particular plan for that?

Lastly, Ms Magahy made the point about Mr. Niall Sinnott not being able to attend today as he is doing something on the vaccination certificate. One of challenges we have faced as a committee is a result of the malware situation. We were hoping to have the HSE in. We had been hoping to have the Department of Health in, possibly tomorrow. It will not happen. Is there a briefing available? If Ms Magahy could forward that on to us, it would be helpful.

As public representatives, but also as a committee, we are being asked constantly. People want to travel. As regards the travel certificate, what will be put in place? There is a complete lack of information available and anything that we could put through our own system would be helpful.

If Ms Magahy could answer those two questions, I would appreciate it.