Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The embargo during the austerity years has caused a legacy issue, the effects of which are felt still. The Irish health service not only lost thousands of beds but also thousands of staff. It is playing catch-up. It is similar to the housing crisis. This is probably not a State secret, but are the witnesses saying that the Irish health service is lacking 6,000 to 8,000 front-line nursing staff? The embargo has been lifted and more people are becoming nurses, but there is still a lack of front-line staff in the Irish health service.