I very much welcome the proposal being floated at present to establish a specific task force to tackle the ever-growing hospital waiting lists in Naas General Hospital and every hospital in the country. If the vaccine task force under Professor Brian MacCraith has taught us anything, it is that if one assembles the right people with the right skills and the right resources, one can achieve world-class outcomes. I am greatly supportive of the concept and the principle. My concern is always about the implementation. Can the Taoiseach indicate when this task force is likely to be established and when it will be up and running?

I agree with the Deputy that the vaccine task force did an exceptional job. It was multidisciplinary and involved different aspects of the public sector and some of the private sector. Our vaccination record of 93.5% of adults is an extraordinary achievement for the country and reflects very well on all concerned. The waiting list initiative is now key. As we emerge from Covid-19 we simply must reduce the times that people are waiting to get procedures. The Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, will develop proposals for the establishment of a task force. That is imminent as we expect to have the proposals outlined within the next week or two.