Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)

I am pleased the Leader has secured a date for the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, to come to the House and no doubt he will asked many questions by every Member. I share the concern expressed about the fact that nurses are on strike in the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick. I consider it to be a major management failure and a breakdown of relations between management and unions. I call on the management of the HSE in the mid-west and the unions to get the matter resolved as a matter of urgency. The last thing we want to see is vulnerable patients who are under pressure worrying about whether they will have adequate care if they are admitted to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

It was disturbing to read in the newspapers this morning about the levels of absenteeism in the HSE, with 1,100 phoning in sick in the HSE west region. There is the makings of an inquiry in this. Certainly, a serious analysis should take place into the reasons for this level of absenteeism. No country, private industry or business could sustain absenteeism at that level. We should find out how much of this is work related. Is it due to conditions within the organisation? Is there too generous a sick pay scheme in operation? These questions must be asked at a time of severe fiscal challenges in the country. We must sort out these issues.