Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Can the Minister estimate the number of hospital beds that will be lost as a result of the cuts she has signalled to front line spending in the health services? In response to previous parliamentary questions she estimated these cuts at between €600 million and €1 billion. How will she explain the ongoing abuse and waste within our two tier system to patients who depend on public hospitals? Clinical directors and hospital managers have had to write to almost 300 consultants regarding blatant breaches of contractual obligations on the ratio of public to private practice. I could provide a list of issues which are causing tremendous vexation and deep anger in many quarters.

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