Seanad debates

Wednesday, 22 October 2003

National Task Force on Medical Staffing: Statements.

 

We will have to get bed numbers up everywhere. In the 1960s there were approximately 4 million people in the country, but now we have almost 5 million and the population is older. We need more beds, doctors and health workers. If the Minister for Finance wants to know where the money is going, it is mainly going on pay and he agreed to the increases. If he asks the Minister for Health and Children what is being done with the money, the Minister, Deputy Martin, should tell him it has gone to pay people and that the Minister for Finance was at the Cabinet meeting which agreed to those pay increases. I am not saying they are not deserved but I get cross sometimes when I hear about black holes as most of the money I see being used is spent on pay. Some of it is being spent on infrastructure but not nearly enough.

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