Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The position is not credible. With respect to the Deputy, it is fair to say he has been commentating on the health service for a very long time, since he became a Member of this Dáil almost 30 years ago, and including a period as a health Minister. He knows that during his period in government, there were service plans that included efficiency criteria and percentages for efficiency. There is nothing unusual about that.

In more general terms, there will not be cuts to the health service in 2018. The budget has increased and staffing levels have increased. All problems will certainly not be solved but there will be action in a number of very important areas. For example, there will be an increase in funding for home care, with an extra 75,000 hours for that care. It is very real. Surgical waiting lists have been falling for most of the past six months because of investment in elective hospitals and investment through the National Treatment Purchase Fund. That will continue. We are also adding more beds to the system, with 170 additional beds opening so far this winter across a number of hospitals. I would be happy to list them.

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