There are 17 pages of laudable commitments in the programme for Government about improving the health service in general, including the mental health services, but none of them has been delivered on, unfortunately.

We found out through the media in recent days that the scoliosis targets will not be met. There are almost 700,000 people on inpatient or outpatient lists across the country. The community services, including the home help service, are in tatters. The health service is crumbling under ferocious pressure. In addition to all that pressure, no new staff are being recruited. The Minister told the health committee yesterday that the €100 million shortfall in the health service budget would have to be found within the health service. More than €100 million is needed to recruit extra staff. How can this be done without compromising the health service that is already in tatters?

The Deputy must realise that every year we are increasing the number of patients treated. As I said, in the past four years 250,000 extra people have been treated, which represents an increase of about 15% in the number of patients treated. That is a significant number. Almost 7,000 patients leave our hospitals every day with their quality of life improved by medical intervention. It is not a service in a state of collapse or whatever words he used but there are pinch points where there is a demand for services, and we need to meet that demand. In the past two years, an investment of €1.3 billion has been made. In particular, mental health has been prioritised by Government, even in the difficult years, with an additional €140 million invested in those services. There are difficulties in recruiting in the medical health service, as the Deputy is aware. That is one that is being addressed, as well as extending the services.