Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

It has not been done by me or by officials in the Department but a multidisciplinary team with medical and nursing inputs. That is how this is happening. Those are objective facts. By arranging an estimated 12,000 treatments in 2004, the national treatment purchase fund will make further significant progress in reducing the average waiting times for surgical procedures.

In 2004 I have allocated €31 million to the health boards and Eastern Regional Health Authority as base funding for consultant and other support staff costs associated with reducing elective waiting lists. I have also increased the funding for the national treatment purchase fund to €44 million in 2004.

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