Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I do not think increasing the number of consultants by 700 is a waste of money. The implication, every time Deputy Kenny says that, is a negative one, though I know that is not the way he means it. Most of the money in the health Vote goes into buildings, equipment or staff. The buildings certainly are not a waste of money, I do not think the equipment is a waste of money because it is world class equipment and I do not think the staff is a waste of money. In the case of consultants, we have doubled the number of consultants. If Deputy Kenny or anyone else wants to say that we have doubled the number of consultants but they are all playing cards, I would accept that as a criticism if he believed it to be true, but I do not believe it to be true.

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