Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I heard an interview with the general secretary of the INMO yesterday and heard him acknowledge that the number of people waiting on trolleys was significantly down from last year. The figure used was in the order of 15% or 16%. I also heard him acknowledge that the strategy the Government and the Minister for Health are pursuing, through the special delivery unit, is working. At a practical level, it would be very difficult to hide trolleys in a hospital and I do not think anybody would want to do that.

The Government and the Minister for Health are very open to hearing whatever advice can be provided by people at the front line of our health services. Nurses, doctors and all of those who work in our hospitals know at first hand what is happening in hospitals. The Government has made it clear that it wants to hear from people at the front line and is willing to take on board any suggestion they have to make.

See this speech in context