Mr. Robert Morton:

I will reflect on 23 September. Our colleagues, Mr. Paul Reid, CEO and Ms Anne O'Connor, chief operations officer, HSE, were asked a similar question before the Committee of Public Accounts. At that time, Ms O'Connor indicated we needed approximately 90 extra ambulances. Some 90 ambulances throughout the country would equate to approximately 1,080 additional staff. That is what we believe is the current requirement, but the evidence base for that will very much be the capacity review to which Mr. Kenny and his colleagues referred in the session this morning.

In terms of how long it will take to get there, at present, we currently have the capacity to train approximately 200 to 220 paramedics every year. That is generally our current educational capacity. In that case, it would take us at least five years to recruit, train and qualify 1,000 staff, bearing in mind the people who start this year will not qualify for three years.