Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is a fine statement but they are working under the threat of violence currently. I am glad the Minister says it is not acceptable and that a national strategy exists. He says that security staff will be in accident and emergency departments or nearby. They need to be in accident and emergency departments. Nearby is not good enough. Staff are very well trained. They know how to recognise assaults. Notwithstanding the fact that our staff are trained to the very highest level, from January 2011 to July 2016, assaults increased by 65% from 673 to 3,462. This is a figure of 34 nurses and midwives per month. These are the people we are desperate to keep within our health service. They are the lifeblood of the health service and the people without whom we cannot deliver health services and we are putting them in a situation where it is dangerous for them to go to work. Will the Minister commit to increasing security in our hospitals for the benefit of the staff - not near our hospitals or where the assaults are happening but where the assaults are happening? The physical presence of a security guard is a great deterrent. Our staff are well trained and know how to recognise when an assault is imminent. They are working in intolerable conditions and are short staffed. The Minister cannot deny that. In that atmosphere, assaults are increasing day on day. Can the Minister commit to putting a security guard into every single accident and emergency department?

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