David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Dáil taught me well, that is all I will say. I have learned a lot.

I want to come back to the issue of additional beds for next year. When I was putting questions to Mr. Watt earlier, it was in the context of these 1,500 rapid-build beds that the Minister had more or less announced a number of times. We had a very lengthy discussion here in this committee room and he said that about 700 of those could come on stream in 2024. In responding to questions from Deputy Shortall, Mr. Watt mentioned a figure of 162 or 164 for next year but I imagine that those beds are part of the previously funded beds and not these 1,500 rapid-build beds. To go back to the question I had asked, of the 1,500 rapid-build beds that were promised, how many is it anticipated will actually be built in 2024 and is the funding currently there for those beds?