Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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That is debatable because it depends on who you talk to. We get criticism on that, too, and we have to try to answer the criticisms.

When staff levels were increased - recruitment of 6,000 was approved and it went to 8,000 – what were the most sensitive areas to which those staff could be detailed? Were there areas that were more sensitive than others? Were there posts that need not necessarily have been filled at that stage? What is the situation there? We keep hearing criticism on the extent of the health budget and how it has raced ahead of all other services. We know that it is demand-led and that the population is increasing but we also have to have some ability to respond to the criticisms that are levelled at us.