Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste reminds me of the conductor on the Titanicorchestra who keeps playing music when the ship is going down. He has talked about extra home supports. Deputy Troy has just informed me what this means in the midlands, which is 22 extra hours for six counties. They were lucky because they were informed, whereas the rest of us have not been given that divide yet. There are beds closed right across the country because support and staff are not available to staff them. Peamount Healthcare hospital has 55 beds but cannot get the staff because of the moratorium that the Tánaiste says is not in place. Has the Tánaiste not read the inputs from Phil Ní Sheaghdha from the INMO throughout this week? Deputy Rabbitte has raised the issue about public health nursing services which are about to be curtailed in Galway because public health nursing vacancies cannot be filled. There is a moratorium and it is affecting service. What we are going to get today is the only place where is not a moratorium, which is in the spin department in the office of the Minister, Deputy Harris. There will be brochures and fancy videos. The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, wears high-viz jackets for his announcements and the Minister, Deputy Harris, will probably have a white jacket on during his. This is where there is no moratorium, namely, the area of spin. I challenge the Tánaiste to visit a hospital this weekend. Talk to a GP, a nurse, or consultant and get the real story.

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