Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware that, each year in recent years, we have expanded the budget of, and the number of staff in, the HSE. This has involved nearly 500 additional consultant doctors or registrars and 500 additional nursing staff. Every day, we have 7,000 people in our hospitals to have procedures completed who then leave the hospital. Every day, 4,500 turn up at our emergency departments and are treated. There is no doubt there is pressure on the system and there is growing demand from an ageing population on existing capacity. We have to invest not just in additional staff but in expanding capacity. That is why a significant capital budget has been put in place for the health service so we can build capacity. People are working to the very best of their ability within the health service to provide and deliver a high-quality service but there is pressure. Additional resources are being put in and that will continue. The investment strategy is in place.

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