Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

That is a very interesting question and the answer is "No". Whatever happens, Army people who need medical assistance will get it. As the Deputy will be aware from the replies to previous questions, in so far as we cannot provide that medical assistance ourselves, we contract it in from outside. The cost of doing that for this year is estimated at approximately €4.5 million. I would prefer to spend it on a properly constituted medical corps in the Army rather than recruiting private medical expertise from outside.

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