John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister's response is interesting. The nurses I met at University Hospital Waterford the day before yesterday told me that the biggest stumbling block to the opening of additional beds to ease the chronic overcrowding is the ongoing staffing crisis. According to those nurses wards are understaffed and they are unable to meet the total needs of their patients. The INMO estimates that Waterford hospital is operating at approximately 120% capacity without the appropriate nursing staff in place. Will the Minister sanction a special needs incentive to recruit nursing staff at Waterford hospital immediately? Will he sanction, as previously requested, the appointment of an additional community discharge nurse at weekends for University Hospital Waterford?

The Minister has referred to the possibility of the private sector being utilised to cope with overcrowding. Is this planned for Waterford in the winter, particularly for elderly people in the community who are frightened and need reassurance that if they present at the hospital over the winter they will not be left on a trolley or chair, in some cases for up to 16 or 17 hours, which, as I said, is undignified and unacceptable in a western country in 2015-2016?

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