Professor Michael McMahon:

On the last point, I feel it is just at the edge of my competence to answer. We focus on the budgeting process. As the Deputy said, we think there clearly are issues there. If we went to the HSE and said we were going to give it a budget lower than most people or reasonable forecasts would suggest would be needed, then that clearly puts pressure on the organisation. What is the implication of this pressure? I am going to swerve that question because I am not a health service executive and I have never worked in a health service. I do not know how tighter budgets or budget deficits affect what services are offered or how you can adjust to it. I am afraid, therefore, that I am going to dodge this question. Perhaps Deputy Conway-Walsh can ask this question of people in the health service.