Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister provided figures but does he agree with the statement, "We do not train half enough health and social care professionals"? That is what the Minister for Health has been saying for the past couple of years. He lays the blame squarely at the feet of Fine Gael for not providing him with the workforce he needs. That is the issue - things are bounced between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and between the Minister for Health and the Minister for further and higher education. The Minister for Health says he is not being given the work supply he needs, therefore he cannot make things work. I ask again if the Minister agrees with that statement. If so, why has so little progress been made to increase the number of places in healthcare, including nursing and medicine? I am trying to get a hold on the issue in terms of the demand, what we need for workforce planning and what is being supplied. How does that match up?

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