Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Does the Taoiseach not believe what the president of the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine is saying? He is saying that we are facing a potential "Armageddon" in our health service this winter, particularly in emergency departments. There are almost 900 consultant vacancies. What is the Taoiseach doing about that, to finalise the negotiations on the consultant contract? What is he doing about the significant loss of NCHDs - about which the Minister has been well warned - because of the dysfunction in the health services, because of burnout, because they are not being paid, and because there is no career progression? What is he doing to hold on to nurses and other key health professionals? This is all coming together. There is virtually no workforce planning going on within the health service at the moment. We have no idea how we will hold on to people and ensure an adequate number of training places.

There is a huge shortage of placements in the health service. The HSE stopped them a number of years ago. I am looking for specifics from the Taoiseach. What exactly will he do to avoid the hell on earth that is being predicted this winter?

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