Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is the good news that Senator Ó Clochartaigh might like to hear. I do not think he has a press release about it but he might just do me the courtesy of listening to the good news. There is €646 million in current expenditure, more than €200 million of which will be for new developments.That is an additional €471 million for capital over the period from 2018 to 2021. The health budget for 2018 is €15.3 billion, which is the highest in modern times. What that means is the Minister for Health is establishing the fund, which is the NTPF, which is an initiative to reduce waiting times and increase access to emergency departments. The problem Sinn Féin has is if we do that it will not be able to come in here and complain because it will be good news. Its members will not come in welcoming the addition.