Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I am surprised the Deputy is so clear in his assertion that a hospital closed because staff were pregnant. I will go back to the HSE to ascertain the basis of the assertion. This is primarily a matter for the Minister for Health and I will ask him to revert to the Deputy directly in this regard.

The Deputy is correct with regard to the general principle. I agree there is a certain crudeness about a moratorium but if we have to downsize within a very tight timeframe there is no point in getting rid of people if they can be replaced. I hope to redefine the mechanisms to exclude some of the cruder consequences, including those referred to by the Deputy. However, I must do this in the straitjacket of the financial burden under which we live and bearing in mind my objectives to save money on pay. The Deputy is well placed to understand those pressures.

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