James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has posed many questions. One of them is why there is no trust. The reason there is no trust is because too many dawns have passed and the issue has not been addressed. In the past, money was thrown at it instead of the system being reformed. We do not have money to throw at it, as Deputy Kelleher knows for reasons well known to everyone in this country, but we are reforming the system to address the issue of giving doctors safe working practices so they can deliver safety for their patients.

Deputy Kelleher acknowledged that some hospitals are compliant and yet all hospitals are affected by this. This is an understandable expression of frustration by NCHDs about what they see as inhuman working hours, the lack of a clear career path and facing exhaustion when it is unclear what they will have to show for it. It is so difficult to ensure becoming a specialist in this country with our training times taking on average 12 years, which is far too long.

Deputy Kelleher asked me whether I had faith in the HSE and its management of this situation. I have faith in the new HSE management. I have faith in Mr. Barry O'Brien who is the new HR man and I have faith in Mr. Tony O'Brien and his new management and directors of management and I believe this can be resolved.

I appeal to the IMO NCHDs to come back to the Labour Relations Commission to resolve this issue. It will not be resolved on the picket line or by hurting those to whom they want to provide safe care. I appreciate and respect our young doctors. They are going to be the specialists and GPs of tomorrow and I ask them to come back to the table to resolve this problem in a manner that can reassures them that the ones who fail to provide will suffer not patients or doctors. They will have a bright future in medicine in this country when we clarify the career path for future specialists and GPs.

See this speech in context