Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I must agree with my colleague. This response is pathetic nonsense. All we get is jargon. The reply states that a number of meetings are held throughout the day between the bed manager, the discharge planner, the director of nursing, the clinical director and hospital management to review matters. When we had the sisters as matrons, there were none of these titles and we had good hospitals. As Deputy Healy said, we have worked very hard, kept within the guidelines, done everything we were asked to do and we are being punished. There are all these people in positions with titles and, no disrespect to those involved, they are pen pushers. There are all these new positions that carry fancy names. We need front line staff and the wards open. We do not need all these people in positions with fancy names, using all this jargon and going around carrying their folders. There is a bed manager, a discharge planner and a director of nursing. These positions were unheard of in the past. This is what is wrong with the HSE and there has been a complete system failure. We have all these people while the front line staff such as doctors, nurses and consultants, are working tirelessly. The next development will be a clamping of beds in corridors. It is a shame and a disgrace and it is untenable. Nenagh hospital has been closed, there is not enough space in Limerick and that is why people are coming to Clonmel. The situation is the same in Waterford. Ministers avoiding the issue will not do anything for us. It is time we got some honesty, decency and fair play in Tipperary.

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