Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

I wish to speak about the cut of 120 temporary positions in Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin. It is a disgrace that it has come to this. Short-term contract workers will be greatly affected, especially agency staff and dieticians. This has occurred in the same week that a diabetes and endocrinology unit was opened. Last year the Minister opened a new medical wing in the hospital, yet the HSE is now laying off staff and claiming that this is due to cost containment measures. No jobs have been cut at the top of the HSE, yet staff that are already over-burdened are being cut.

What will be the state of Our Lady's Children's Hospital if nearly 10% of the staff are laid off? The Minister of State needs to tell us. Will it be downgraded? Will it be closed or relocated? Will it suffer death by a thousand cuts? The staff, the patients and the public are entitled to know what the future holds, so that they can make alternative arrangements. We cannot have continual cuts such as those occurring at the moment. The Minister of State will tell us that there has been increased investment in this hospital for the last number of years. That has occurred after generations of severe under-funding, but these increases do not take into account the increased workload of staff and the ongoing modernisation programme.

The only reason these are agency jobs is the HSE freeze on full-time jobs. The Minister for Health and Children should step in and ensure that these cuts are reversed and that the hospital has enough staff to carry out its work.

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