Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raised the issue of the maternity units and setting targets already. Is that not also important? It seems to be very much drifting without any clear targets, such as a two-year target, a three-year target or a five-year target. I am just wondering whether that can be done in the plan. In fairness to other State agencies, the Department of Social Protection, for example, issued 305,000 new PPS numbers last year and there was not a huge delay in getting a PPS number. It was able to do it. That is a huge number but it was able to get the information in and give people their PPS number. Likewise, we need to be able to fast-track some of these processes and deliver them. I am just wondering about targets. Can we set targets? Can we set targets for the maternity units or paediatric units? Can that be done? We are going to do it with the children's hospital but could we do it for all the other paediatric units around the country following on fairly fast after that?