Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will try not to go over the same territory. Approximately two weeks ago, nurses at Naas General Hospital took the unusual step of going out in protest during their lunch hours. Some of us joined them. The point they were trying to make was that they were presiding over an unsafe service. They took their decision with heavy hearts, as they are proud of their hospital. They were also concerned that working in the hospital's environment compromised their own registrations. I understand their point.

On average, 12 to 17 of the hospital's patients per week are on the fair deal scheme. In terms of size, this is the equivalent of 50 patients at Tallaght hospital. The large number of nursing homes creates pressure, particularly since many Dublin patients go to nursing homes in Kildare. There is pressure at both ends, given the area's young demographic.

Kildare has a population of 210,000 people. It is the fourth most populated county in the country. That its increasing population could lead to increased demands was never properly considered. The immediate recruitment of nurses is key. Some 24 nursing posts have been sanctioned. With 17 being filled on an agency basis, we are discussing seven or eight additional staff. Some of these posts have been funded by the hospital's management in an efficient way. The recruitment process has taken up to two years. There is a complicated system of recruitment. The staff are needed now.

Keeping a fair deal patient in a bed costs six to seven times what it does to keep someone in a nursing home bed. The latter would achieve a better outcome for the individual and an acute bed would be freed for people who actually needed it. The approach being taken does not make sense for the hospital financially or in terms of safety.

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