There is very serious overcrowding in Tullamore hospital at the moment. It is the largest hospital in the midlands region. A memo was sent around to staff stating that there was a black escalation, as I have been told by staff within the hospital. They were told that 35 inpatients are being accommodated in surge beds across the hospital, with a further 14 off-site in private medical beds. This is not the flu season or the depths of winter. It is happening in the middle of summer. I am told that it has been caused by increases in population and a parallel failure to increase facilities to cope with the extra numbers. Will the Taoiseach tell the Dáil today what he will put in place to deal with the crisis immediately? What long-term plan has the Government to make sure that this does not arise in the future?

I compliment the management of Tullamore hospital, who have managed demand better than most hospitals in the country and consistently achieve very few people on trolleys. We do that through a number of different ways, including purchasing private beds where necessary. That is part of what every hospital and region does. We need to standardise the cost in relation to that but we do use off-site capacity. I do not know what the Deputy is referring to with regard to black escalation. If it is that we are trying to manage the budget overall because the HSE has hired essentially an additional 2,500 people at the beginning of this year, without a corresponding reduction in agency staff, it may be that. The Dublin and midlands areas are particularly egregious in their agency use instead of hiring for permanent positions. There is no question that the entire Dáil wants to see a reduction in agency use. If that is what the Deputy is referring to, I do not know why it is being referred to in those terms, but it is certainly necessary, and it was told to me in the health committee, that we make sure we reduce agency staff and recruit permanent staff instead. I do not know what else the Deputy referred to.

I can get the details to the Minister today if she likes.