Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Adams will understand also that the equivalent of an increase of €880 million has now been secured compared with the 2015 allocation of €12.295 billion for health services.

As I pointed out to Deputy Martin, the task force set up by the Minister for Health is beginning to pay its way in the sense of improvement in the situation that applies in the hospitals. Delayed discharges are reducing. That frees up beds. As I pointed out, beds in the community hospital in Mount Carmel have been opened. Three hundred additional beds will be opened this month and a further 100 in January. There are more staff working than ever before. Since January, there are 500 more nurses - 500 more professionals - in the health service. Since 2011, almost 300 additional consultants have been appointed throughout the country, including 57 this year. These are consultants - professional people - who are well able to do their jobs. The number of non-consultant hospital doctors has increased by 250 since last year.

I understand that the vote was expected in the way that it has been taken, but it is not going to solve the crisis and the challenges we face in the health service. The Minister for Health, working with the health authorities and the different sectors in the health area, has made significant improvements. We are not where we want to be yet, but the situation is better than it was and it continues to improve. As I said to Deputy Adams, €880 million extra has been allocated to the health system than was in the 2015 allocation.

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