Last year, visits to accident and emergency Departments countrywide exceeded 1.2 million, which is equivalent to 3,300 visits per day for each day of the year. A number of significant initiatives have been taken to improve services in accident and emergency departments. A €40.63 million investment package was provided by the previous Government in the winter of 2000-01, aimed at alleviating service pressures and maintaining services to patients, particularly in the acute hospital sector. This investment package provided for the recruitment of an additional 29 accident and emergency consultants and for the contracting of additional private nursing home places for patients whose acute phase of treatment has been completed but who require additional care in an alternative setting.