Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

——and what the Government has been doing in recent years. We have been trying to improve bed capacity, employ more consultants in accident and emergency units and increase the extent to which nursing and other services are provided in such units. As the Tánaiste said yesterday, we need the co-operation of the medical services in other areas, such as diagnostic services, so that people do not have to wait several hours for a fairly simple x-ray or other procedures. We should ensure that enough staff members are available at weekends to provide diagnostic services and improve patient flow.

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