From 1 December until the end of last week, there were 225 patients in Kerry University Hospital on trolleys. On Monday this week, there were 30 patients on trolleys and 70 in the waiting area waiting for a trolley. Circumstances are so bad that the eight beds in the medical assessment unit were being used for patients waiting to be assessed. The situation was chaotic this Monday and Tuesday, so much so that the staff in the hospital were at breaking point.

When is the Government going to take seriously the situation regarding capacity and the shortage of staff at Kerry University Hospital? I have been raising this on Topical Issue matters as well as on Questions on Promised Legislation but nothing has been done. When is the Government going to take it seriously and provide the services the people of the area require?

The Deputy will be aware that, each year in recent years, we have expanded the budget of, and the number of staff in, the HSE. This has involved nearly 500 additional consultant doctors or registrars and 500 additional nursing staff. Every day, we have 7,000 people in our hospitals to have procedures completed who then leave the hospital. Every day, 4,500 turn up at our emergency departments and are treated. There is no doubt there is pressure on the system and there is growing demand from an ageing population on existing capacity. We have to invest not just in additional staff but in expanding capacity. That is why a significant capital budget has been put in place for the health service so we can build capacity. People are working to the very best of their ability within the health service to provide and deliver a high-quality service but there is pressure. Additional resources are being put in and that will continue. The investment strategy is in place.