Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We need to hear from the Tánaiste what the plans and the figures are that are going to work in the budget. I say this because clearly, the Government's figures in last week's budget simply do not add up. This is acknowledged. Where are the plans to help those struggling people working in the health service who are so under-resourced and overstretched? Where are the plans to help patients? I refer to patients like the woman who contacted me and told me she had developed blood poisoning and was left in a chair overnight, propped up against the wall, due to a lack of beds. All of us are hearing from people who are telling us they were turned away from scheduled appointments because of a lack of staff. This happened after they had booked time off work and fasted for their procedures. This sort of thing does not happen in a properly resourced health service. The Tánaiste is in government and it is simply not good enough to hear him speaking as if he were a commentator and saying there is a need for analysis and examination. He should do something about this situation, ensure the health service is properly resourced-----

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