Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government has lost the case. Given the fact that it has withdrawn the appeal against the case, the notion of vigorously defending its case seems rather hollow. I appreciate the Minister cannot comment on the two specific cases, but what are the overall implications of this decision not to proceed with the appeal? What are those implications for the health budget in 2017, 2018 and beyond? When will we have a strategy from the Government as to how it will deal with this? Will that strategy impact on services that are already in crisis in the health sector?

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