Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Chaos continues to reign in emergency departments in hospitals across the country. In the past ten months alone, 80,000 patients admitted to hospital had to languish on trolleys for an unacceptable length of time. Last month was the 15th month in a row that increasing numbers of people were waiting far too long on trolleys. This period coincides with the period since the appointment of the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar. In other words, the position is getting progressively worse, month after month. Last week, Beaumont Hospital apologised for the appalling treatment of the late Gerry Feeney, whose family described the distressing and traumatic circumstances surrounding his treatment. There have been many more similar incidents, including 90 and 91 year olds waiting on trolleys for 29 hours.

If one speaks to nurses working in emergency departments, as I have, the familiar refrain one hears is that it is very difficult to retain staff in emergency departments or attract staff to emergency departments because of the conditions and the unacceptable circumstances in which they must work. I meet nurses across the country on an ongoing basis who consistently give me that message. Morale in emergency departments is at an all-time low due to the record numbers of people waiting on trolleys in recent months, so much so that the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, has balloted for industrial action in emergency departments.

Of the emergency department nurses who were balloted, 92% voted in favour of strike action in the middle of December.

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