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

That is the vision the Deputy has for Ireland, which I hope never comes to pass. On ICU beds, it is an area in which the Government has been very active in the past three years. We increased the number of ICU beds considerably since the pandemic and will continue to do so. That programme will not be adversely affected in the next year. As everyone will understand in this House, it is not just about a bed or the equipment; it is about being able to staff it. That means nurses with full ICU qualifications, anaesthetists and a cohort of doctors in training behind them. There is no recruitment restriction at all on ICU nurses, anaesthetists or doctors on the anaesthetic training programme.

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