Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the budget and the additional €4 billion in funding for health services. We are talking about an additional 1,146 acute beds. The number of critical care beds is to increase from 255 to 321. However, this is not just about beds. It is also about ensuring access to theatre space and facilities like X-ray and MRI. It is important that there is a co-ordinated approach to the development of services within hospitals. We must also provide care in the community. That need is provided for by the additional 5 million home care hours. It is extremely important that there is co-ordination in the delivery of home care. I welcome the additional 5 million hours.

Long-term planning is crucial. That is particularly true for our elective hospitals. It is now time to decide where they should be situated, go through the planning process and deliver. We need to fast-track that process. We cannot afford for this to be delayed any further. Sláintecare representatives were before the Joint Committee on Health today. Its members said they would present a report to the Government by the end of the year. We should be putting pressure on the responsible officials to deliver that report earlier so that we can make decisions and deliver the healthcare services we need.

Careful management of the 16,000 posts will be important. The number of people employed by the HSE has increased from 103,000 to 123,000 in the last five years. Careful management is therefore important.

The money should be spent wisely in the whole area of healthcare such that we get an efficient service. I again thank the Minister and the Government for making sure that adequate and additional funding has been allocated to the health budget.

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