Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Will the Taoiseach for once and for all and listen to the nurses and the doctors but also accept the reality that in order to deal with the accident and emergency crisis we need to increase bed capacity? Thirty beds in Beaumont Hospital is not enough, 80 are needed, and that is the reality. If the Taoiseach was to go around the country and visit Deputy Halligan's constituency in Waterford, he would find that is also the reality there and in other hospitals. We need to increase bed capacity and to ensure that the necessary resources are put in place. We need to take the tough decisions and not give tax cuts to wealthy people while we have people dying on trolleys. Some 300 to 350 of our citizens die every year because of the current crisis. People need to wake up to that reality.

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