Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

I graciously accept your apology, a Cheann Comhairle. On the timescale for the delivery of the commitments in the programme for Government, what is the Government's view on how flexible it is? The Taoiseach is completing the third year of his second term of office, a total of eight years, and has two years to go. Assuming the second term continues for the full five years, 60% of the time has elapsed but 60% of the commitments have not been achieved by any stretch of the imagination. While I cannot go into precise details, let us take the 3,000 beds that should be added to the health service, those ripped out in the 1980s. What is the timescale in regard to the health service?

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