Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The underfunding of our healthcare services in budget 2024 will impact our front-line services, including in my county of Meath at Navan hospital. It is undeniable that the Government's decision to underfund the health service is reckless given the existing challenges faced by our healthcare system. The embargo imposed on recruitment for essential front-line posts will result in a shortage of healthcare professionals, leaving hospitals like Navan struggling to deliver the quality of care our patients need and deserve.

Turning to GPs, we have one GP in County Meath for every 3,500 people. On one hand, we are asking hospitals to do something about people waiting on hospital trolleys. On the other, hospitals are being told they will have to lay off one third of agency staff. Regarding the embargo on administrative staff, these do extremely valuable work, which hospitals could not operate without, whether they are accessing medical records, signing in or tracking patients. This is leaving staff in a precarious position. In some cases, morale is low because of the workload they are already under. All this together can only lead to a winter of discontent and people waiting longer for care.

The underfunding also poses a direct threat to our home help services across the country. In County Meath, we already have hundreds of people waiting on home help services. Where people have been approved for home help, there is nobody to undertake the work. These services are a lifeline for many vulnerable people, providing vital assistance and support in their own homes. The embargo on recruitment will mean that there are fewer healthcare assistants available to provide in-home care, which will mean many patients will be left without the help they desperately need.

In County Meath, there is already a lack of home care and support for people with neurodisabilities to enable them to live in their own communities. This lack of neurodisability services is appalling. It is because the community healthcare organisations, CHOs, are not adequately funded, leading to people with disabilities being left behind. It is time for this Government to prioritise health.

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