Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Nobody will dispute the value, quality and heroism of nurses who work on the front line in pressurised conditions. Many fine young people who go through nurse training here and those who partake in other elements of the health service, be it physio-therapists, speech and language therapists or such like, must then leave for other jurisdictions. Yet, many come back subsequently and work as agency nurses. That speaks for itself. That is the reason, as Deputy Higgins will be aware, there must be a radically restructuring of the HSE in its current form. This is a cental part of the programme for Government.

I pointed out on many occasions the obscene wastage of taxpayers' money while at the same time nurses who provide exceptional care and attention at the front line have been let go and cannot be employed in the numbers in which one would wish. That is why I agree in the sense of losing that exceptional level of care and attention. However, it must be dealt with in part by restructuring the entire system and the programme for Government is very clear on that.

See this speech in context