Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The private business sector employs many people in this country and it is important that it gets support. I will not comment further on the Aer Lingus takeover.

The figures just announced in respect of medical services and the review for the month of March show that collective inpatient admissions are up 2% and outpatient attendance is up 3.8% ahead of target.

For the month of March alone, there were 12,911 attendances for BreastCheck. The target is 140,000 for the year. We are ahead of target and, while it is important that there is criticism where issues arise in the health service, it is also important that where there are good results, they are put out there in the public domain. We have a good health service. There are difficulties in some areas that need to be improved and we must continue to work towards that. The Minister and the HSE should be thanked for the work that is being done and it must be recognised that there is positive news in a number of areas.