Health Service Executive Chief Executive Prof Brendan Drumm has defended the public health service following criticisms in RTÉ's Prime Time Investigates last night.
During the programme, a specialist consultant, Professor John Nolan, said patients were suffering because the health service was poorly integrated, fragmented and inadequately resourced.
However, on RTÉ Radio's Morning Ireland, Prof Drumm said the health system was resourced reasonably well.
He said a huge programme of change was under way and could not be achieved instantly.
Prof Drumm said he thought last night's programme was great: 'It showed us exactly were we need to go. Can we flick a light switch and get there? The answer is no.'
He added 'I have to operate with what we have to spend. I believe there is significant resources in the system. Would I like more? Of course I would. But I do believe that what we are actually getting from the tax payer needs to be used much more effectively.
'We saw last night criticisms of the number of primary care teams in place,' Prof Drumm said. 'Of course we would like them all in place overnight. We have over 60 in place. We said we would have 97 by the end of the year - they will be up and running.'
