Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, I do not know the particular circumstances of the case raised by the Deputy but I will make inquiries about that because everybody in the country is entitled to good quality attention and service when they attend a hospital. I know that hospital staff in Letterkenny and other hospitals are extremely attentive to patients when they present and do an outstanding job. The public rightly is in their debt for that.

The staffing arrangements in hospitals were addressed in the Haddington Road agreement which provided for changes to be made in rostering, overtime and staffing arrangements. Some of that has to be worked through at individual hospital level and with the HSE. There is something in the order of about five million hours overall nationally that must be worked through in discussions at hospital level and with the HSE. These arrangements have been agreed by all of the unions.

It is now a matter of working those through, ensuring that members of the public gets the attention they deserve when they attend hospitals and ensuring that hospital staff get the support they need and deserve.

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