Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The difficulty with politics and answers is all of these general figures. These are two very specific reports with the most recent one building on the other. There are 100 vacant posts in the model 3 hospitals. There are 17 model 3 hospitals in the country. This has 27 recommendations across four themes. The first is about strengthening the consultant workforce, the second is on education and training, the third is on the sites and infrastructure - the standard of some of which is unacceptable - and the fourth is on building the link between model 3 and model 4 hospitals.

With regard to the percentage over 55, 50% are over 55. Have I got that figure right?

There is an impending crisis in relation to retirements. In model 3 hospitals, one third of consultants are over 55 years of age. Model 3 hospitals have more non-permanent consultant posts and more consultants with no registration in a speciality. Of course there are good points. The report gives the good points but it highlights the fragility and the crisis and we need action. Is Letterkenny among those three hospitals? When will it start and when will it finish?

See this speech in context