Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The extent of the shortfall in acute capacity has been identified by a report entitled, Acute Hospital Bed Capacity — A National Review, and it indicated a requirement for an additional 3,000 acute beds in acute hospitals by 2011. I introduced the first phase of this process in January 2002 which provided funding in excess of €117 million, capital and revenue, for an additional 709 acute beds for public patients. That money was put into and invested in the system. That represents an increase of 6% on existing capacity and some 584 of these beds have been commissioned to date.

These additional services are now being provided by an increasing number of medical consultants. According to the Comhairle na nOspidéal report on consultant staffing on 1 January 2004, there were 1,824 consultant posts in the public sector in Ireland. This represents an increase of 41% in the last six years. No other period in the history of the State can equate that rise in consultant staffing levels and numbers. These are facts and they are resulting in increased activity. On the issue of nursing, a matter raised by Deputy McManus, there are repeated claims that there is a nursing crisis——

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