Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for their submissions. While I was aware of the pressure on our health workers, I have learned a great deal today about just how bad that pressure is and about how indebted we are to our front-line workers. Thanks are important but they are just not enough. If gratitude is to be given meaning it should lead to an overdue reassessment of who we value most in society and how we treat them. It should not take a pandemic to expose how poorly paid, insecure and badly treated many healthcare workers are. Society cannot function without them.

I have one question in addition to making that point. In Ms Ní Sheaghdha's submission, I read that research has shown that front-line hospital staff and other key workers have a higher chance of experiencing mental health difficulties during the pandemic. We know the Covid-19 pandemic has created stressful working environments for many people. I want to again highlight the disgraceful treatment of student nurses who are exposed the dangers of Covid-19 without any payment at all. This must be corrected.

I also have a question for Ms Ní Sheaghdha. It relates to the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals, particularly nurses. What supports are needed to address this problem? I thank all of the groups represented for their fantastic work in looking after the most vulnerable in our society.