Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The workers who are out on strike today do not believe that the Taoiseach fully appreciates or even acknowledges the important work they carry out. It might do him no harm to visit a picket line; it might not to him any harm at all to talk to people and hear what they have to say. If he did, they would tell him that they feel very let down. These are low-paid workers and caterers and porters can be contrasted with members of the Judiciary and the lot of judges in Irish society and the regard in which they are held. These workers are wounded by this and believe the Taoiseach has let them down.

They have made clear that patients are still being cared for in our hospitals, as I am sure the Taoiseach knows, and that catering workers, healthcare assistants and others are making sure that is the case. Of course, this unnecessary dispute is having an effect on patients. If he really cares about patients and values the workers, the Taoiseach will move to resolve the dispute.

See this speech in context