David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

What would Mr. Gloster say to the families who experience that every day? It is like Groundhog Day. We are having the same discussions all the time but this seems to be the norm. The trolley figures range from somewhere between 500 and 600 every day. It has almost become normal. How are we going to change that?

I would just pick up on the issue of the seven-day service. I understand that there are industrial relations issues. Everybody here understands that. A big part of the health budget - billions of euro - goes to acute hospitals. They operate at full tilt five days a week. They do not operate at full tilt at weekends. There is only so much you can get from those five days, with the best will in the world, even with additional capacity. How important is it that we can get more from the weekends and bank holidays? They always seem to be a disaster when it comes to emergency departments and hospitals. Mr. Gloster says there are discussions and that he wants voluntary changes. I accept why that is, that it is because there are contracts and all the rest of it. Can he explain to people listening and to those family members and patients who have had those horrendous experiences in emergency departments and hospitals, although that is not always the case, what changes he is going to mandate to ensure we actually get to grips with that issue?