David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have one final question and then I will make a brief comment. In regard to recruitment, which I believe is central to realising all of these issues, we had a lengthy discussion the last time Mr. Reid was before us on the commitment to recruit 10,000 staff. There was a comment that we could, as a minimum, recruit 5,500 and maybe more. Has that changed? How close are we to reaching that target of 10,000? In Mr. Reid's view, will that target be met by year-end, that is, a net addition of 10,000 staff in the health service?