Dr. Jerome Coffey:

I thank the Deputy for raising the macroeconomic picture. In 2006, our national debt was €40 billion and, this morning, it was €217.9 billion. That is a scary number in the background that will have to be considered as we invest in healthcare.

I am personally biased in that I believe we should find the money to invest by borrowing or whatever because we want the better outcomes. Behind the investment, however, the Government has obligations to manage the debt and reduce it over time. That is the big issue behind many of the constraints under which we operate.