Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Kearns for the work he is doing. I agree with his opening statement which is a breath of fresh air. It is vital that significant time and resourcing are given for the RHAs to be successfully implemented. I ask Mr. Kearns to forgive me if these questions have been asked; I arrived late to the meeting.

We all know the extreme pressure that was placed on healthcare workers during the pandemic. In his opening statement, Mr. Kearns pointed out that many healthcare workers do not feel valued and cared for. Obviously understaffing will ultimately risk the successful implementation of RHAs. What would Mr. Kearns's advice to the Department be to achieve a fully staffed workforce to deliver integrated health and social care services?