Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

In answer to the Deputy, that is precisely across the range. Without going into detail, the question of the consultants' contract is the central issue.

In terms of staff, resources, capital, the professions, nobody in the House can argue against the significant funding increases the Government has invested in those areas. There are 5,000 or 6,000 extra nurses. The Deputy referred to the cancer service. A significant number of additional consultants and related paramedical staff have been brought into the service. The statistics show an improvement in the survival rates for people under 65 by 15% in recent years. The units have been set up on a nation-wide basis.

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