Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Notwithstanding the work of the special delivery unit, does the Minister accept the long waiting times and the overcrowding in accident and emergency departments are directly related to the fact there is, among other factors, inadequate acute hospital bed provision? Is it not the case we cannot move patients from accident and emergency departments into the wards if there is not adequate provision of beds to cater to that need? Are we not creating a continuing crisis for people, particularly in accident and emergency departments? This has its echo throughout all hospital systems. I urge the Minister, as he was a voice here over a long period of time and made the case consistently in Opposition, to recognise that, while there are other aspects to it, some of which he has named, we cannot continue to keep our heads in the sand in relation to the 2,400 acute hospital beds which, according to the INMO, are now closed. Whether he accepts that figure or the HSE's lesser figure is academic. It is the need that exists. I would join others in appealing to the Minister to accept that and address as urgent the need for the reintroduction of beds within the system and even to give us a sense of a plan or timeframe within which he will work towards this and, equally importantly, the lifting of the recruitment embargo.

See this speech in context