David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am asking specifically about that. I got this response only last week. This goes to the heart of efficiency within the HSE, and getting things done. In last year's national service plan, 72 beds were included. It states here that none of those 72 beds has been delivered to date, and the number of remaining beds to be delivered is 72. Not one of those 72 beds that was announced in last year's service plan will be delivered this year. How is that the case when we are being told by a hospital in Limerick that it needs 150 beds? The response further states that a full review of the remaining beds against profile is currently under way in the context of ongoing and planned capital works and current recruitment challenges. Every single time we ask about something that is funded and not delivered we hear about recruitment, which again shows workforce planning is a problem. It goes on to states that there are no additional acute inpatient beds planned as part of the winter plan for 2022-2023. We have hospitals telling us that beds are a problem. It states here 304 beds, but the witness said it is a bit less than that now in the space of a week. That surprises me, but there you go. Maybe we can be sent the accurate figure. We know there are hundreds of beds funded since 2020 but not delivered, and we have hospitals crying out for beds. How in God's name is that happening?