Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I think this is a good example. On the waiting list action plan we will report at the end of the year, the activity, the number of patients being taken off the waiting lists, is well ahead of target. To comment on the point made by the Deputy, this costs more money. The HSE has, therefore, treated more patients than it is funded to treat. This is the case in two areas in hospitals. One is in terms of the accident and emergency department presentations, which were higher than we thought. The second concerns scheduled care. Great credit is due there. It has cost more money, however, and this is one of the reasons I am looking for the Supplementary Estimate.