Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann recognises the:

—work of nurses, doctors and staff of accident and emergency units who work under severe pressure each day;

—recent report published by the Health and Safety Authority, Health and Safety Authority Inspection Programme in Accident and Emergency Units March-April 2005, which stated that "the health sector, and more particularly accident and emergency units, is at major risk" of workplace violence and that "the current arrangements for protecting workers from this risk were inadequate";

—increasing problem of intoxicated persons turning up in our accident and emergency units; and

calls on the Government to:

—implement health and safety procedures for staff and patients within the hospital environment;

—deal with the escalating alcohol fuelled aggression and abuse that is becoming endemic in our accident and emergency units with the following measures:

—introduce separate "wet rooms" where those found simply to be drunk, following a medical assessment, but not ill or injured are isolated from the other patients and medical personnel and left to sleep off the effects of their drinking;

—have extra gardaí present in accident and emergency units on Friday and Saturday nights when the throughput is highest;

—introduce a new offence of "threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in or around an accident and emergency unit" which would be subject to an on-the-spot fine of €200, to be imposed by the gardaí on duty in the accident and emergency units;

—remove hangers-on who are under the influence of alcohol from the accident and emergency unit, as these add significantly to the tension and stress; and

—double the charge for visiting an accident and emergency unit for those who are found simply to be under the influence of alcohol and are not actually ill or injured.

I propose to share time with Deputies Pat Breen, McCormack, Crawford, Olivia Mitchell, Deenihan and Hayes.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to debate this important motion. Tonight's debate continues Fine Gael's determination to jolt Fianna Fáil into action on the ongoing crisis in our accident and emergency departments both in Dublin and countrywide. On this occasion I will not focus on the overcrowding issue whereby thousands of patients annually receive their full course of medical treatment on trolleys in accident and emergency units. Nor will I dwell on how this overcrowding contributes to the lack of hygiene and the difficulties in cleaning up vomit, faeces, urine and blood in accident and emergency departments. I will not deal with the medical assessment units, minor injury units or MRI facilities, which have become so important to the Tánaiste and the Government as they put a spin on their efforts to deal with the crisis in the hospital sector.

In focusing on the role alcohol plays in contributing to the accident and emergency crisis, I begin by observing there is no problem with those persons who enjoy a sociable few drinks on a weekend night. Problems emerge where alcohol leads to violence, aggression and abuse. Patients semi-comatose or aggressive as a consequence of excessive drinking terrify staff and other patients in accident and emergency facilities, especially children and the elderly. The taxpayer, meanwhile, is left with a bill of €600 million at the end of every year.

The recent Health and Safety Authority report shows the health sector, and accident and emergency departments in particular, face a high risk of workplace violence and that current arrangements are inadequate. The HSA is only responsible for the health and safety of workers. The Minister and the Government are responsible for the terrified elderly patients and the sick children scared out of their wits when they have the misfortune to require the services of an accident and emergency facility, especially on weekend nights. The Government has done nothing to prevent the escalation of this crisis.

Families and elderly persons can avoid going into city or town centres late at night but they cannot avoid going to accident and emergency units if they are ill or injured. The treatment they receive there is an absolute disgrace and a poor reflection of the Government's inaction on this matter for the last several years. This Government has refused to face up to its responsibilities on many issues. We have seen the debacle taking place in Dublin Airport with passengers queueing for long periods to pass through security checks.

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