Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I believe in a public service that has a clear strategy and one in which all public servants can feel they contribute to the good of their country and the welfare of their community when they go home from work.

The Taoiseach said no reduction in services has taken place with the lessening of numbers of public servants. How can this be if, for example, 600 psychiatric nurses have gone with none replaced? The Department of Finance now controls the authorisation for the filling of every position. If it decides a post for a clinical nurse manager, grade 2, or a manager of a suite of operating theatres is not to be replaced, how can there have not been a reduction in services? How can the author of that report for the Taoiseach claim no reduction in services has occurred when it is impossible to measure up when 600 psychiatric nurses, for example, leave the health service?

Many of the young nurses who left for England and other places in the past several years are now returning to Ireland. They are employed by nursing agencies at enormous costs to the taxpayer to fill the positions the HSE cannot fill. How does the Taoiseach's claim of no service reduction equate with reality, particularly when there is strong demand for mental health nurses?

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