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

Having spoken to several healthcare professionals, I know the recruitment freeze is having a hugely negative effect on them. It is cornering them into an environment where burnouts in staff have become a frequent occurrence and the thought of emigrating to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other places is not given a second thought. Organisations such as the Muiríosa Foundation, which provides care for individuals with disabilities, are also on the brink of service shutdown due to the recruitment embargo. The struggle to find and retain staff is real, and the embargo has only made the situation worse. The decision to withdraw job offers to qualified candidates has left many wondering about their futures in Ireland as trained healthcare professionals.

Too often, individuals with disabilities become casualties of the Government's inadequate health budgets. Without sufficient staffing levels and a steady influx of new healthcare professionals to fill vacant positions, many of these individuals are unable to live meaningful lives within their communities.

In my home county of Meath, the underfunding of health services by the current and previous Governments has had significant consequences. Navan Hospital serves as an example, with years of underfunding by successive Governments leading to the bypassing of its accident and emergency department. Hospitals and healthcare organisations should be adequately funded to recruit staff directly instead of using agency staff, which cost more money in the long run.

The impact of the embargo is being felt by both patients and staff. Urgent care is prioritised over routine care, resulting in increased waiting times and a strain on scheduled procedures. This could lead to the deterioration of patients' conditions.

The burden placed upon hospital management and consultants is immense. They are forced to make difficult decisions, choosing between urgent and routine care. Prioritising urgent care may seem like a logical choice, but we must remember that routine care is equally important. It is a delicate balance that should not be compromised due to staffing shortages. It also affects nurses, non-trainee doctors, health and social care professionals. It is not just doctors and nurses who are affected. There is also an embargo on administration staff. The work they do includes everything from answering the phone, organising patient clinics, ledger records, bloods, scheduled appointments, registering appointments, paying wages, purchasing supplies and paying for supplies. Then we have cleaners, patients and porters. This embargo will lead to more risk for patients and to longer waiting lists.

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