Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)

I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le gach éinne a tháinig amach ar an agóid inniu, go háirithe iad siúd ó Laois agus Ros Comáin. Tá ár gcóras sláinte ag dul in olcas mar gheall ar na ciorruithe atá curtha i bhfeidhm ag an Rialtas seo agus an Rialtas a chuaigh thart. Caithfimid stad a chur leo. Tá na daoine ag fulaingt agus níl gá leis.

Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which the State has signed calls for the creation of conditions which ensure everyone medical services and attention in the event of sickness. Can we say with honesty that the State is fulfilling this basic right? Can we say that, regardless of wealth or geography, we are guaranteed adequate medical services and attention to ensure the highest level of attainable health, as is strived for in the covenant and demanded by those who pay their taxes every week? I am not alone in believing we cannot say this, certainly in this House. I hope the Government Members who have attempted to neuter our motion with their amendment will take the time to speak to the ordinary people who have rallied outside Leinster House in support of the principle of the motion. They have come from as far away as Roscommon and other places similarly affected by the Government's policy of treating the rights of the people as an afterthought with deference afforded to bankers, developers, judges and highly paid consultants.

I have spoken to nurses and doctors in my constituency who have told me horror stories about the way cuts, embargoes and other pressures are seriously damaging their ability to provide care. One nurse has told me that she feels she is merely going through the motions in providing a service because there are insufficient staff to provide real long-term benefits for patients who are struggling to keep their heads above water. I was told that it was not possible to provide cover for two staff who were injured for more than two months, with the result that nurses had to work additional overtime shifts, even though this required them to work beyond the limits of what was safe in providing patient care. Students have told me that their preceptors have no time to teach them. The most they can do is contribute to the most basic of work in the hope of lightening the load of overburdened staff members who are already stressed by the damage the crisis is doing to patient care. One evening last week only two porters were on duty in one hospital in my constituency, which meant delays in the provision of X-rays, blood, urine and stool samples and two blood transfusions. Thankfully, the latter were not as urgent as was usually the case. In one hospital the number of intern doctors has been cut by one third for night shifts from midnight, placing further burdens on already overworked interns who are often dangerously tired in carrying out their vital duties. The stories of wards being used as excess accommodation for accident and emergency departments and rotating staff to make up for short-falls, even in specialised areas, were shocking to me, but for anyone professionally concerned with infection control and quality of care, they are heartbreaking and soul shattering. I feel for the people who have studied long and hard and dedicated themselves to the provision of care because they have been failed by this system.

We are also faced with reduced hours for home help services. My area of Dublin North West has a large population of older people, many of whom require help in order to retain their independence at home, but their independence is becoming more difficult to preserve because the amount of care they are receiving is decreasing. For several years I have heard, as I am sure have other Members, stories I have found to be unacceptable. People who need assistance are facing cuts in care hours from eight and ten hours per week to two or as little as one. For these reasons, I ask Deputies to support our motion.

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