Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputy Louise O'Reilly on drafting what is a very detailed motion which sums up many of the issues that exist in the sector. I met in recent weeks with the chief executive of Cork University Hospital and representatives of the INMO. There are many things they do not agree on but there was clear agreement on the issues that exist around the recruitment and retention of nurses, which are related to both pay and conditions and which, to a large extent, are connected. The pressures that nurses and midwives are under at the moment in our hospitals, particularly the major hospitals, is enormous. Any time I speak to people in that profession, I find their frustrations are enormous and the pressure and stress they are under is obvious. This takes away greatly from their ability to enjoy and appreciate their profession. The statistics are incredible. A 2017 survey showed that 78% of student nurses were considering emigration and 81% of those listed pay, staffing levels and working conditions as the main reasons.

The pressures people are under are very clear. This should be dealt with not only in the interest of nurses, but in the interests of everyone. The two great social and strategic challenges facing this country are the housing crisis and the crisis in our hospitals. To deal with the crisis in health care in the hospitals, we need more beds. To get more beds, we need to have more nurses and midwives. How do we deal with the crisis of recruitment and retention? Everything has been tried except pay, and we have to address that point. The level at which they are paid is very much a reflection of the value we place on people in the caring professions, particularly in nursing and midwifery. Deputy Martin Kenny makes the strong point that the cost of living crisis is enormous for the population as a whole but particularly for people in that profession. For anyone who is trying to rent in Dublin or near Cork University Hospital, it is impossible to find any kind of decent accommodation. Many means have been tried in order to retain and recruit but the one thing that has not been tried is pay. We need to get rid of the two-tier pay system, treat our nurses with respect and pay them accordingly.

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