In 1998 €4 billion was spent on the health service. In 2003 €9 billion was spent. One third of the extra money is going on pay settlements. The chief executive of the Health Services Employers Agency, Mr. Gerry Barry, said that the nurses' pay dispute added 25-30% to the nurses' pay bill. Medical inflation is running at 10%. The cost of drugs for hospitals is a significant factor. I acknowledge that a central purchasing unit, the hospital procurement services group, has helped in this area. It is difficult to understand the cost of blood, which is given freely by donors, yet the cost for hospitals is extremely high. Accident and emergency departments are now groaning under the strain, with up to 30 patients lying on trolleys. A big problem for hospitals is that beds are taken up by people with nowhere to go. The system is riddled with inconsistencies.