Professor Anne Matthews:

Both systems are under pressure with waiting lists. This goes back to the real problem. There are myths about each side of the system suggesting that is better and this is not. As Professor Heenan and others have said, we need fundamental facts about how these things compare. We would hate to end up with a worse overall outcome for everyone.

I was thinking about what has been said about Sláintecare. Sláintecare has focused on eligibility. Despite all the HSE reforms since it was established, things have fundamentally not improved in terms of eligibility. It is putting eligibility over here and the ongoing HSE reform agenda is still rolling out. It is a moving feast a lot of the time. I am not sure there is the capacity in the HSE and that reform programme. It would be great to hear from people leading the HSE reform about what capacity there would be for that.