Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am somewhat biased but I think nurses are the nurturers of our nation. My heart sinks listening to my colleagues, as it did when I listened to members of my union. One could hear a pin drop in this room, listening to the experiences of workers at the coalface in the public service and the damage caused to the health of our children in particular.

Mr. Walsh mentioned the commission on nursing. That was put in place following the nurses' strike in 1999. It resulted in an expansion of nursing roles such that nurses did not all have to go into managerial roles but could stay in the clinical practice which they love. Will it take another strike or commission to ensure that we retain staff? Like the witnesses, I contacted staff who had gone abroad, who said there was no way they would come back because of the disrespect shown to them by the HSE before they left. There is no encouragement or offering of professional development because all one does day in, day out is fight fires and there is time for nothing else. Therapeutic interventions are in second place after fighting fires.

Ms Magaharan mentioned the lack of early intervention, which all present recognise is the kingpin in providing good resilience, health and well-being from birth upwards. However, there are no hospital-based teams to liaise with and go into maternity and paediatric hospitals in spite of there being a great need to assess patients there on a medical level. The important role of public health nurses in terms of going into homes should also be addressed. We have previously discussed the inclusion of a checklist for the emotional well-being of infants or toddlers in the assessments by public health nurses rather than only eye co-ordination, noise and voice recognition and physical development. Early intervention could very simply be facilitated in that way.

There are many other issues that could be addressed. My heart goes out to the witnesses but they should keep at it. They are the warriors, the brave people who are going to change the system. To hell with the HSE if it comes down hard on the witnesses. The witnesses need not worry because they will have the committee behind them. Let the HSE try. I very much appreciate the contribution of the witnesses. I hope they keep at it.