Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I will answer that. During the afternoon, there was a session here on safe staffing levels in our health service. Safe staffing levels are not just to do with staff. They are mainly to do with patients. We are putting the safety of the patients in Drimnagh, that is, the elderly and people who need mother and baby care services and people with the dementia, at risk by doing this. I can see why the Minister of State is saying the HSE is left with no choice, because of staff shortages, but these things are connected. The staff shortages are connected to the lack of housing. We are dealing with it all week and we will be dealing with it again next week. The lack of housing for staff in this State is an utter disgrace and it is putting the safety of patients at risk. Something urgent needs to be done. I doubt the people of Drimnagh will just accept that everything will close for Drimnagh on 3 April and everyone has to traipse over to Crumlin and back again. It is not acceptable and if that is the only answer we are to get here this evening, we have to go back to the drawing board with the rest of the community.

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