Eamon Scanlon (Fianna Fail)

Deputy Quinn stated:

Just over six years ago, when there was a different Government in office, concerns about the future of the medical professions, particularly the nursing profession, were communicated to the Government and the Opposition. Certain predictions were made about the changes that would occur, especially with regard to the number of people coming into the nursing profession and the availability of well motivated and qualified people in Ireland. I confess I did not listen to those voices at the time as well as I might have, and the problems the Minister for Health and Children now has are, in part, related to that.

I congratulate Deputy Quinn on his honesty. They were difficult times.