There are commitments in the programme for Government to improve services for those with chronic long-term illnesses. Between 70 and 80 people suffer with Parkinson's disease in the Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cashel and Clonmel areas. The support group in Clonmel is run by volunteers, namely, patients, sufferers and their families. Most of those have Parkinson's disease and to date five of those people have passed away. There has been a fight to get a nurse specialist. There are four in the country, but none in our region of the south east. I refer to funding to train nurse specialists and create a course for nurse specialists in Clonmel or in the south Tipperary area. Ideally, the group would like to have a neurologist and a clinic in the area. Will the Taoiseach implore and urge the HSE and the Minister for Health to provide nurse specialists and, it is hoped, neurologists to help these people who are doing so much to help themselves? They are vulnerable people and they are suffers, but they are supporting themselves. They need this one extra nurse specialist in the region to do that work and to support them in their role.

If the Taoiseach is not in a position to answer, he may ask the Minister for Health.

The HSE service plan provides for an extra 3,000 posts in the health service next year. I am not sure how many of those are going to be clinical nurse specialists, but I will advise the Minister for Health that Deputy Mattie McGrath raised this matter and ask him to reply directly to the Deputy.