Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

The Taoiseach says he wants to see the continuation of the best services but this plan says that it will not be possible to fully maintain the same level of service in 2012 as in 2011. This is not from me or Sinn Féin propaganda but from the plan. The impact on ordinary citizens and the social consequences of the policy, which the Taoiseach avoids, is that between 500 and 900 public nursing beds will go along with up to 4,000 staff. Ten days ago, I met senior staff in the HSE with Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and Tomás Sharkey. There is no contingency plan for dealing with the 4,000 retirements. How can the health service hope to cope with the additional job losses?

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