Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support this motion, and I extend my thanks to the nurses and the midwives across this State who are working so hard to keep our health service afloat, despite being under such enormous pressure. If it was not for the dedication of these front-line staff, we would be in a much worse situation. However, words of thanks and appreciation for these staff are simply not enough. Many feel they have been taken for granted, because they have. They are working long hours, they are under-resourced and they are under immense pressure. They are stressed almost to breaking point, but amid all of this, they are always professional and caring.

Their work needs to be appreciated through decent pay and conditions, without which the health service will be left to fester and worsen.

Once they have completed nursing courses at universities and colleges and have been awarded degrees, many nurses do not see a future for themselves in Ireland and head off to the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Nursing is a profession with poor pay and conditions, particularly when one considers the level of training and education needed for the job. We must retain qualified staff in the public health system and attract new graduates by demonstrating to them that they can progress their careers here. We need pay equality for nurses.

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