Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

In 1994, when Labour and Fine Gael assumed responsibility for the reform of the health services, there were 1,179 pre-registration nurse training places in Ireland. The issue of medical manpower was already a pressing issue, and nurse shortages were becoming a serious issue. In its programme for Government, the rainbow Government spelt out: "It is now a matter of urgency that the issue of medical staffing is addressed." Rather than heed its pledge, the coalition of the callous then cut back nurse training places. When it left office in 1997 the number of pre-registration nurse training places had declined to 982.

To be fair to the then Minister for Finance, Deputy Quinn, who could have funded additional places, he made the astounding admission in the House before the previous general election that, as Minister for Finance, he was warned about impending nurse shortages and said: "I confess I did not listen to those voices at the time as well as I might have and the problems the Minister for Health and Children now has are, in part, related to that." This is despite the fact that he had pledged to address these shortages in the Labour-Fine Gael programme for Government. Deputies opposite should remember that when they talk about broken promises.

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