Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will probably be repeating ourselves a bit this morning. There is not the level of funding next year for the same pace of roll-out of the strategy that I and the Deputy would like to see. However, there is significant funding in there to enhance services. We are both agreed that safe staffing makes a difference. It makes a difference to patients and that includes stroke patients. That is expanding. We are both agreed that bringing down the inpatient day-case waiting lists is going to make a big difference to all patients. It is going to take pressure off the hospitals. The six new surgical hubs are fully funded, including one in the Deputy's constituency. We are all agreed that we need more beds and that those beds will make a difference to patients and 162 new beds are funded. I think the Deputy is in agreement with me on the benefits of the chronic disease management programme run by GPs. Hypertension is now being added to that as the fourth condition.

It is an important measure and it has been funded, which speaks directly to prevention of stroke.

See this speech in context