Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I believe I have been very careful in how phrased this. I would be very conscious that if proceeded with, this will compound current and projected difficulties. I invite the INMO delegation to reflect on that.

Yesterday on the "Liveline" radio programme a succession of nurses and junior hospital doctors outlined the reality under which they were working. They described excessive and unsafe hours. Later yesterday evening I discussed with some of my colleagues what they had heard. Some of the situations described suggest that the reality presenting in some hospitals is beyond the law and that what is required of nurses and junior hospital doctors is unlawful. Has the INMO considered taking appropriate action to address this in a challenge to what is legally permissible and legally safe at the very extremities? Clearly there are extremes within the accepted range, but some of what was described yesterday goes beyond that. Might that not be another form of address of what is an intolerable situation for nurses, doctors and patients?