Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The HSE is responsible for the delivery and operation of health services. The capacity is simply not there for any Department, including the Taoiseach's Department, to begin to run hospitals. That is simply not going to happen. It is not a runner, nor is it feasible or practical as a solution. In terms of what we can do, the Minister has met with the chair, the CEO and senior management of the HSE, and has requested the development of comprehensive plans with short-term and long-term measures to be taken nationally and at each emergency department and community healthcare organisation to ensure sustainable improvements in the performance of emergency departments. Without question, recent months have been highly challenging for emergency departments. The situation has been exacerbated by the constant recurrence and the prevalence of Covid-19, not just in terms of what happens in hospitals but of egress from hospitals and the inability of some community nursing units and nursing homes to take patients from the acute wards of hospitals because of them being subject to outbreaks of Covid as well, so it has been very challenging.

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