Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

Under our proposals, psychiatric services will have the same status and will be dealt with in the same way as the general health services. The reforms will broaden primary care and set performance targets for hospitals.

The plan borrows from Northern Ireland by proposing a special delivery unit to ensure that hospital waiting lists are sharply cut. I am sure that the Minister is aware of the Northern health system's success in reducing waiting lists. In year three of our plan, we will introduce a system whereby money will follow the patient. He or she will be seen as a source of income rather than as a cost to hospitals. It will incentivise hospitals to attract patients. At the same time, we will abolish-----

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