That the Government has shown a glaring lack of leadership and direction in solving the critical problems of the health care system is obvious. Despite the increased investment in health over the past five years and the various waiting list initiatives, the reduction in waiting lists since 1997 has been a minimal 1,000 persons per year. Add to that the fact that 57% of people on waiting lists are waiting for a bed in one of the Dublin hospitals where numbers on the lists have risen by 16.5% over the past five years. Many of the national specialty hospitals are based in Dublin.