Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to acknowledge the work done over the last three and a half years. I thought it was longer since Tony O'Brien went but it is not, although it seemed like it. I acknowledge that and that Mr. Reid was there during a difficult period. Covid was a wartime case and it was very difficult.

There were many needs that had to be met very quickly.

Major reforms of the health service are necessary, but there is something that I find frustrating. I am sure other public representatives and people in the HSE do as well. We have a substantial budget, one that is rightly increasing again this year, and it will be voted through by the Oireachtas, but the services at the far end of that process are what count. When we meet HSE management, we get long-winded answers. While I understand it is a complex process, we must try to move to a situation where the public can see that we are actually providing a budget, given that, although it is larger than other European countries' health budgets, some services at the other end of the process are very weak. Good work is being done within the HSE, but there is room for improvement. The health service will never be perfect. I acknowledge the work that Mr. Reid has done. I hope that, if we pursue Sláintecare, we will move towards a better and fairer system of healthcare delivery over the coming years.

I wish Mr. Reid well in whatever position he takes up. I am sure he is not going away.