Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

There were 18 hospital protests around the country last Saturday in probably one of the most widespread and largest campaigns throughout the country in terms of what is happening in the health service. Tens of thousands of people marched in different sites, which is wonderful to see.

The Taoiseach mentioned overcrowding in accident and emergency departments. It is not happening because pesky people are getting sick too often. It is important to say that. Accident and emergency overcrowding is happening because of a lack of accident and emergency capacity in the State. Some 6,000 beds have been closed since 2008. There are 30% too few GPs. There are 700 fewer consultants than there should be. Incredibly, the Government has closed eight accident and emergency departments in the past 15 years. People cannot understand why the Government cannot join the dots between the accident and emergency capacity crisis and Government policies to close accident and emergency departments throughout the country.

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