Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his answer. He asked why there is no consistency and why some parts of the HSE are compliant. It may be due to medical procedural reasons of which I am not aware but it is an interesting question because it brings to the attention of Dáil Éireann the fact that while today's strike is nominally about whether sanctions should be applied - personally I think they should - it is also symptomatic of a malaise in the HSE. The HSE appears to be an organisation with little transparency and huge inconsistencies in how medical professionals and patients are treated. We all know it is not subject to meaningful parliamentary oversight and it is immune from parliamentary questions. There is a significant cultural issue which the Government could begin to address. However, this will require root and branch reform which opens up professional bureaucrats, some of whom are excellent and others are not so excellent, makes what they do transparent and, critically, makes them ultimately accountable to this House. Does the Taoiseach agree that we have a major issue and, ideally, an opportunity in regard to increasing transparency and accountability in the HSE?

On today's strike, does the Taoiseach agree with the thrust of the demand for binding sanctions? Essentially the doctors are agreeing to negotiate but they no longer trust the HSE. If the deal on the table is a promise by the HSE that it will not make them work longer than 24 hours, does he accept it is reasonable that the doctors no longer accept that promise and, therefore, will he support their call for some form of binding sanction? Perhaps it will not be the specific sanction they seek but there should be some form of binding sanction on the hospitals and the HSE.

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