Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I want to go back to the issue of outsourcing. The latter is currently rampant across the health and social care service. I am concerned that we could reach a tipping point with this. So many services, particularly in social care, are outsourced. We have got all of the private nursing homes, something like 80% of home care staff. We are increasingly outsourcing other diagnostics and nursing services. The latter are being outsourced through the widespread use of agency staff. There are many other areas as well. I spoke about radiation therapy. What is going to be done about that, Minister? Part of the answer is to have an up-to-date comprehensive workforce plan which we have lacked for a very long time. The other part of it is an ideological thing. What examination is being given to looking at the relative costs of outsourcing? On the surface, it can look cheaper because of lack of commitment to pension obligations and so on. Has the Minister undertaken any kind of study to look at the relative costs of that, irrespective of the other impacts?