Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is exactly what the Minister is going to do. The fact is that when this came to light a number of years ago due to the length of the waiting list and the numbers on the list, a new theatre was provided but it still has not opened. There is money in the budget to recruit 1,000 nurses this year. There are talks today between the Department, the HSE and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, about this. I heard somebody with considerable experience in the medical profession say this morning that the NTPF was a waste of money. I agree that it has a role to play here. Clearly, the 133 spinal fusions carried out last year and the 44 in the private sector speak for themselves.

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