Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Of course, the Government respects those working in our health services. They are doing a fabulous job in very difficult circumstances, as there is increasing demand on our health services. They have to do that work with less resources and, in many cases, with fewer people. This proposal is about jobs. Our top priority is getting people into employment and thus getting work experience. There are currently 35,000 nurses in the system and this proposal will bring the number to 36,000. They are 1,000 additional posts for graduate nurses. At a time when there is so much unemployment and so many young graduates cannot get any work, I think Members of this House should be welcoming the creation of jobs, rather than coming in here and complaining about it.

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