Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)

There was a consultant running a clinic in a particular hospital four years ago and then an additional two consultants were appointed. There are now three consultants dealing with the particular area. The question then is about support staff. Have we done enough to make sure that the backup support staff are there to work with the consultants? That is one of the issues coming up; that there is only the same space available in theatres and outpatient clinics and, as a result, even though there are now three consultants, the HSE is still only dealing with the same volume. This has happened, especially in the smaller hospitals.