I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 59 and 179 together.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the level of activity and the staffing which can be made available in each hospital is dependent on the level of resource which can be provided. It is now generally agreed that our economic circumstances require a reduction in public expenditure including expenditure on health services. In this situation, it is incumbent on each health agency to ensure that the funding which is made available to it is allocated to meet essential and priority services. I am satisfied that the resource which is provided to hospitals is sufficient to cater for the provision and adequate staffing of these services. My Department has directed local management to ensure that these services are protected and in the current year an employment control mechanism has been established which enables critical staff vacancies to be filled. This mechanism also allows my Department to undertake detailed monitoring of the changes taking place in staffing in the health boards and hospitals. Inevitably, problems will arise but these can be resolved at local level. For example, in the case of St. James's Hospital where the matter of nursing staff working extra hours arose, measures have been introduced and accepted by staff which will ensure that extra hours will be worked by nursing staff in emergency cases only.