Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Gilmore and I both know that is the case. We must start from the reality that there are finite budgets, however much they are increased, and we hope to increase them again in the future. The amount of resources going into the health service in the past five to six years is unprecedented. As Professor Drumm said, we must ally resource allocation with reform in the delivery of the service. Otherwise, we will continue to have the sort of debates we have been having until now, with no prospect of a solution.

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