Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Does the Taoiseach see a role for the Cabinet sub-committee on health in regard to the health service meeting the challenge of the approximately 4,000 employees of the health services who have retired, roughly half of whom are nurses? Does the Taoiseach recognise this cannot happen without front line services being heavily and detrimentally affected, with enormous consequences for the health service providers, including extra pressure for both them and for patients? What role does the Cabinet sub-committee on health have in advising, for example, the HSE on the consequences of the Government's disastrous austerity policies as they impact on the health service?

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