Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Investment in our health services has risen to more than €12.75 billion in 2006. Ireland's public spending on health has grown at one of the highest rates in the OECD in recent years. Irish spending on health has gone from 15% below the OECD average in 1997, when the Deputies opposite were in power, to 17% above the OECD average in 2003. This is notwithstanding the fact that Ireland has a younger age structure than many other countries.

With respect to human resources, 120,000 people work full time or part-time in our public health service. Between 1997 and the end of last September, there was an increase of 33,672 staff or almost 50% in whole-time equivalent terms. Latest figures show 44.9% more medical and dental personnel in the health service, 27.6% or 7,500 more nurses in the health service, 30% or 7,727 more health and social care professionals.

See this speech in context