Duncan Smith

Hollis Street and others they require new buildings they require more space you know these are choices that have to be made but if we're putting public money into public health facilities we see the new surgical hubs that are opening as well and we have two consultants that are taking out judicial reviews because they want to perform private practices and I think the minister is going to stand up to them as well this is the point where we're at this point now where these fights are going to have to be had and if we want a public model of child care like we have a political consensus on then we are going to have to push through on this and choices are going to have to be made

We are a long way.

And as I say, there is, as Liam put it, there is this period.

And this was always going to be the gamble of Sláinte Care was that, you know, because it was quite silent on private health insurance.

The original Sláinte Care report was quite silent on private health insurance because what it's saying is we are going to bring our public health system up to a standard where people will naturally feel

that they don't need private health insurance.

I actually see, to give an element of hope, I see some positive seeds in the future.

If you have a primary care centre like Grange Gorman, which deals with audiology and eye care for North Dublin,

If you have to go there, bring your child there, that is an unbelievable facility.

Brand new.

It's as good as any private facility there possibly could be.

We're going to see these surgical hubs coming on.

There's one opening in Swords today, I think.

But it will be open by the end of the week.

The official openings say it will be open by the end of the month.

These are going to bring big differences.

So this is the moment and this is the time where we are going to have to see this balance.

And the pressure is going to be on this minister and subsequent ministers to, I don't like the phrase level up because it has British Tory party connotations, but to improve and resource our public health system to a level where if you grow up in this country, you naturally will go down to your community for minor care, for clinics, and you don't have to go into an overpacked, bomb-out hospital for everything.

So, you know, what's the problem?

The problem is that we're not investing wisely enough.