Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The initiatives announced by the Minister, on which he is working, have his full focus. The INMO met him this morning to focus on the key issue of recruitment and retention. The plan that has been accepted by over 80% of nurses is important. I am certainly not complacent about the challenges and have said that. I have acknowledged that the distress caused to any one patient waiting on a trolley is one instance too many, but clearly these problems cannot be solved overnight. What I am telling the Deputy is that the initiatives and actions are in place to ensure we have continual improvements. It is very challenging. We have an increased population and an older population but the bed capacity review is under way and will be completed later this year. Discussions are under way with the GPs regarding contracts. That is another important building block towards ensuring that the kind of primary care we want to see in this country is in place. This in turn will lessen the pressures on our acute hospitals. There is no complacency. I understand the distress caused to any one patient who is on a trolley, but the Government is acting proactively to make a difference and improve our health service on an ongoing basis.

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