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

I thank the Deputy. Is fadhb mhór í agus is tubaiste é i mo thuairim agus táimid ag lorg níos mó eolais agus ag iarraidh an fhadhb sin a réiteach. I have met the patient groups and I would be happy to meet them again. It is not my practice to organise meetings on the floor of the House, but I will be happy to meet them again as soon as there is a gap in my diary. There are different groups involved, however, and they do not all agree with each other. The Deputy knows how complicated it can be to deal with an issue when there are different groups with different perspectives representing the same people in the context on what should and should not be done.

Acting in good faith means being big enough to admit when one has got one's numbers wrong. It also means not misrepresenting the Minister in the House. It is not the case that we do not know where the €19 million was spent. We know where it was spent. It provided for an additional 204 healthcare professionals working, at least some of the time, on spinal surgery at CHI at Temple Street, CHI at Crumlin and the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh. It also provided for a fifth theatre in Temple Street, which is now open. It further provided for an additional MRI scanner and for additional beds. What we cannot establish for certain is exactly how much of the €19 million was spent on this. We need to find that out.

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