Mr. Peter Hughes:

There is a dispute in Kilkenny at the moment on understaffing and overcrowding. A ballot result is due tomorrow from the services in Waterford. It is the same issue. Services in Kilkenny and Waterford are admitting patients to chairs or beds in corridors. We had a campaign in 2016 on recruitment and retention and, while some positives came out of it, two years later the issue is not resolved. A lot of temporary nurses and graduate nurses were made permanent and we increased the number of undergraduates. We also got a postgraduate course up and running. A feasibility study has been completed on those who have a degree in psychology or social science etc. moving into psychiatric nursing by way of possibly a two-year course to get an honours degree in psychiatric nursing. During that time, we examined with the HSE all avenues to recruit and retain, but unfortunately while it has had some impact, it has not been sufficient. We still have almost as many vacancies and this is just to stand still. If we were to develop the service as it should be developed, we are short approximately 2,000 nurses. We are short approximately 500 nurses to have services as we stand.