Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I commend Sinn Féin on tabling this very important motion on public health. There is no doubt there are deficits in public health throughout the country. Some areas are worse than others. There are circumstances as to why there are deficits. which can come down to a lack of recruitment and the retention of staff. A big issue with keeping people in the health service is the price of housing. Pay and conditions in the workplace are also big factors in filling posts in our health service. Throughout the country there is a shortage of GPs. There are enormous waiting lists just to see a GP. This never really happened until six or seven years ago. There are circumstances as to why this is happening.

I bring to the attention of the Minister of State a particular issue in Dublin Mid-West, and I am guessing it is not an isolated issue. It is with regard to public health nurses. There is quite an astonishing situation in parts of Dublin Mid-West, particularly in Lucan, Rathcoole and Newcastle, where there are no public health nurses. There are none. A public health nurse is very important not only for infants' health but also for the elderly. I got a response from the HSE on why there are no public health nurses in Dublin Mid-West which states it is down to recruitment. What is more worrying is that it has tried to recruit student public health nurses but to date it has succeeded in recruiting zero. It is extremely worrying that student nurses who go into public health nursing do not see a role in the public health system.

This is having a knock-on effect. Mothers are contacting public representatives in Dublin Mid-West to say they cannot get access to public health nurses for their children. Public health nurses are very important for developmental checks, and not having them is very worrying. It is incredible we do not have this service, especially in Dublin Mid-West. My guess is that the same situation arises in various parts of Ireland. Public health nursing is a basic service. I remember my mother bringing me to the public health nurse when I was young. Children had at least four or five checks before the age of five. Now for some parents there are none. This is very worrying and it is having a knock-on effect. If we cannot recruit student nurses because of all sorts of circumstances, it is deeply worrying. I hope the gap can be plugged very quickly.

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