Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

St. Finbarr's Hospital on the south side of Cork city was told in June last year that the agency staff it employed were being let go. As a result, the remaining staff were left to work in extreme conditions. With their union, they have been trying to secure adequate staffing levels to ensure patient safety. Conditions got so bad that on 2 January, they were due to work to rule. At the last minute, however, the HSE decided to reintroduce 14 agency staff for a period of one month. That time is up and the HSE has informed staff that 16 nursing and five home care assistant posts will be lost. What steps are being taken by the Government to ensure that will not happen?

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