Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can use my time as I wish - Croatia, Hungary, Greece and Bulgaria. This is a country which, despite the myth put out, is testing an awful lot because we believe we need to test, test, test. Setting up testing systems was bloody challenging, and does the Deputy know what the HSE did? It did not give up like other health services did. It decided not to give up on testing in the community but keep at it. I am very proud of the work it has done and we will swipe back capacity.

In regard to recruitment, the figures are much higher than just the Be On Call for Ireland figures because we have also hired 324 student nurses and midwives for the community and 722 student nurses and midwives for the acute settings. We have hired 1,097 nurses as healthcare assistants. We have hired 80 additional medical scientists. We have rehired 91 other people and we have hired 1,100 new doctors who have just graduated. When we are looking at recruitment I believe we have to look at the overall context.

I too welcome the establishment of the Covid committee because it will give us longer time than provided in these slots to answer some of the questions. I will revert to the Deputy in writing on the other matters.

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