Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I take what she said as fact - that if a nurse was to walk into the hospital tomorrow morning, he or she would be given a job. However, she is saying nurses are not taking up the jobs available. Has she examined why our young nurses are going abroad and do not want to take up offers of employment here? We cherish and adore our young people and want them to stay in Ireland, if at all possible. If young, qualified nurses choose to go abroad rather than work in Ireland, is it because of the packages being offered? The Minister of State says money is not the issue; why, therefore, can we not recruit nurses?

I understand what the Minister of State is saying and accept her bona fides, but we have the same issue in places such as Kenmare Hospital where the upstairs section is not fully open. In Dingle Hospital the HSE located offices where there should be beds to cater for patients. It is simply not good enough.

The cystic fibrosis unit in Cork University Hospital did not suddenly fall out of the sky. Management and everybody else knew that it would have to be staffed and managed. I cannot get my head around the fact that we are in this situation so long after the building was completed.

I compliment the manager of Cork University Hospital and the staff working there, as well as the staff in Kerry General Hospital. We really appreciate the work they do in tough conditions, be they surgical, nursing, catering or cleaning staff. We thank them for their efforts in dealing with sick people every day.

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