Mr. Robert Watt:

There is an implementation plan for the measures that are in place for Sláintecare in terms of enhancing capacity, improving community care, digital projects, universal healthcare and being free at the point of use. There are so many different aspects to it that we are always going to be delivering Sláintecare. It might be called something else but we have made progress on much of it. It is not like a project where we say we are going to build a road and then it is finished. There are many different aspects to it.

The key thing is that significant progress is being made. There are plans particularly for next year because of the funding that is available. The Ministers for Health and Public Expenditure and Reform announced very significant funding in the budget for the health system. That will mean an increase in core spending of more than €1 billion. That will enable us to recruit more staff, enhance community care, increase the number of beds, advance the digital projects we are doing and all the different aspects of that, improve universal care by extending free GP care to six and seven-year-olds and take other steps. It is an ongoing process.