Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Taoiseach does not demonstrate an awareness of the extent of public anger about this issue. When the country was far less wealthy it did not have the phenomenon of patients, families and nurses picketing Dáil Éireann on this issue. The consultants say there are 3,500 fewer beds in the system now than there were in 1990. In the past, when there was a flu epidemic during the winter, one would be confronted with the prospect of people on trolleys. Now, it is the norm. In every hospital there are patients on trolleys. Even in provincial hospitals, where it never happened previously, there are patients on trolleys. We had the prospect today of a patient in the Mater Hospital being treated in the staff canteen and the prospect of a young man on a drip lying on two chairs.

When will the Taoiseach stop flying around the world and focus on the most acute problem confronting our community? What would we do if we were confronted with the circumstances posited by Deputy Kenny in terms of a flu epidemic or the winter bug, given our current circumstances? A total of 70 beds are inappropriately occupied in the Mater Hospital and there were 132 patients on trolleys in this city yesterday. That is how grievous the situation is. People want to hear what emergency measures the Taoiseach will take. What steps will he cause the Tánaiste to take to relieve this situation?

See this speech in context