The HSE is getting massive sums of money each year and there are five Ministers in the Department of Health. Nevertheless, we do not have enough front-line staff. It has become apparent again in recent days that the HSE is hiring clerical and administrative staff at a 3:1 ratio as against front-line staff. That is where we are falling down. That is why we have queues in the accident and emergency department at Tralee hospital. That is why we had 27 people on trolleys the day before yesterday.

We are supposed to be talking about legislation here.

This is the HSE and the health service we are trying to provide to people who are sick and who need assistance. Will the Taoiseach rein these people in? The HSE is hiring administrative and clerical staff at a 3:1 ratio to front-line staff. This is totally wrong. All through the crisis when the country was in serious trouble, the HSE was still hiring them and it is hiring them again now when there are not enough front-line staff. What is the Taoiseach going to do about that?

We need a root-and-branch review of the recruitment process within the HSE to tackle the chronic lack of doctors, nurses, care assistants and other medical experts to deal with the crisis. At 6 p.m. yesterday, a local GP sent a notice on social media asking people not to attend casualty at University Hospital Kerry unless absolutely necessary because 26 patients were on trolleys at that time awaiting admission to the wards. The notice said there was a 12-hour waiting list and standing room only in the area. That reflects very accurately the crisis we are undergoing. It all goes back to the lack of necessary staff and a root-and-branch review of the recruitment process is long overdue.

The Deputy is referring to an article that was in a newspaper this morning. The article does not deal with all the facts or put them in the public domain.

It clearly focuses in on the increases in administrative staff who make up approximately 16% of the overall staff but one must look at where historically there were reductions in staff. The moratorium put in place in 2009 had a greater impact on administrative staff than front-line staff for obvious reasons and as that moratorium has been lifted, we are trying to bring services back up.

One also must remember the range of services that are undertaken by administrative staff, such as processing medical cards. If we were to cut back on that and hold that back, we in this House would be animated if people were not gaining access to that service. We must be careful what we wish for.

Some of the largest increases in staffing in the medical care sector has been in the area of carers, the number of which has increased from 16,000 in 2009 to 19,000. Obviously, we have encountered difficulties in recruiting some front-line staff, particularly nurses, and that continues to be a challenge and a focus of the HSE actions to deal with that.

All achieved so.

Under the programme for Government, on page 60, regarding the waiting lists, the latest figures for outpatient appointments put the HSE figure at more than half a million in the State. The numbers of people waiting in Cork University Hospital, the maternity hospital, the South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital, the Mercy University Hospital and Mallow General Hospital stand at 23,433, 368, 22,383, 4,999 and 3,688, respectively. In all fairness, that amounts to more than 57,000 people waiting for treatment in Cork. Last night, we passed a motion with which the Government agreed regarding people with disabilities. More than 14,500 people in east Cork alone could be affected by this and surely this is a national disgrace. What will the Government do about these appalling figures?

I call Deputy Ó Caoláin, on the same matter.

On a related matter, the in loco parentis clause in home-care nursing contracts was a key element in last evening's Private Members' motion adopted unanimously in this House. The response that is issued in replies to parliamentary questions, which was repeated orally last night, can be summed up as follows: when the national quality assurance process is complete, the national steering group for children with complex medical conditions will review the in loco parentis issue. This, like the reply we have received on the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, is a case of mañana, mañana, mañana. That is what it amounts to. It is any and every excuse to delay change and progress. Has the Taoiseach seen the "Prime Time" programme of Thursday night last? Is he conscious and aware of the real impact of the in loco parentis clause on parents struggling with very ill children, often with life-limiting conditions? I appeal to the Taoiseach that there be no more consideration and no more delay. It is within the gift of the Taoiseach and the Government to abolish this most offensive clause that is causing massive distress for already hard-pressed and very stressed parents across this land.

I call the Taoiseach, or the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly.

On the first question on waiting lists in Cork, Deputy Buckley asked specifically what the Government is doing about waiting lists. The Government allocated €85 million for a winter initiative this year: €40 million for winter measures; €11.6 million to deal with waiting lists and another €35 million was allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, to outsource some procedures to deal with those waiting lists. A further €5 million was allocated in the aftermath of Storm Emma to try to deal with the waiting lists. One hundred and eighty-nine beds have been opened this winter in a series of different acute hospitals throughout the country in an effort to alleviate that crisis. I assure Deputy Buckley we will continue in our efforts to do that.

Deputy Ó Caoláin addressed a question to the Taoiseach on the in loco parentis clause. I addressed this last night during the aforementioned debate here in the House. I am happy to speak with Deputy Ó Caoláin afterwards and meet him. I am aware the Deputy is clear and passionate on the matter and wants to get more definite information. I am quite happy to sit down with the Deputy and a couple of officials and try to get that moved on, if that is acceptable to him.