Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It was promised for 8 a.m. to midnight. The issue was not around building or the cost of building but around the staffing. That is a fact. It does not matter what grade, group or category of worker it is, there will not be enough workers to open it from 8 a.m. to midnight. That will be very disappointing news for people in Fingal who were promised they would have it.

To put that to one side, I do not for one moment dispute the fact those present are working hard and making their best efforts and in no way is this intended to be critical of any one person. However, how are we to be convinced Children's Health Ireland will have the staff for the hospital when it does not have the staff for the first small part of the service? I understand Ms Hardiman is saying it would be better to phase it in. We were not told it was going to be phased in. We were told it was going to be 8 a.m. to midnight and that was the best. Now, since that cannot be done, the best is something else and people are told they will have to wait. How can we be convinced about the staffing plan? I am not convinced there will be sufficient staff because there are not sufficient staff in the health service as it is.

There does not seem to be a targeted plan. For those young adults who are doing their leaving certificate now, has Children's Health Ireland identified those numbers, where they are going to fit and how it will cope with retirements and the inevitable maternity leave and turnover and churn of staff?