Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to speak on the same issue. We have heard many Members speak this morning about the nurses and midwives and I have listened to the Taoiseach speak about the fear of borrowing money or about it being affordable for the taxpayer. However, the Taoiseach can still propose - and we will be discussing it later - taking €500 million of taxpayers' money and putting it into a so-called rainy day fund. That will only bail out the banks and it will not assist the health system or the housing system.

I will ask the Taoiseach another question. Does the Government have a plan B because after the nurses and midwives, we will see the Psychiatric Nurses Association and the paramedics on. Then we have our GPs coming down the road and we have an ongoing issue with the Defence Forces. What will the Government do? If it is not going to engage with the nurses and midwives, it will be the same agenda. Will we be coming in here for the next couple of weeks and discussing all these other issues?

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