Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with colleagues in offering my sympathies to the families of Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith on their tragic loss and the huge difficulties they have endured in the past week. I also sympathise with all the people who have worked with them through the years and I hope the search operation is successful and locates the bodies of the three missing persons. It brings home the dangers and the risks taken by people who provide back-up support services and we need to acknowledge it more often than just at the time of a tragedy such as this. I also convey my sympathies to the family of Martin McGuinness and to the Sinn Féin Party on their loss. It is appropriate that Members recognise his contribution to bringing about the peace process in Northern Ireland. It is important that the peace process continues and that we make further progress.

I support what Senator Boyhan said on the lack of consultants, something I have been highlighting for over five years. In 2012 I said we would face serious consequences for the way we were approaching the employment of junior doctors. There are 400 vacancies and we are not just competing for them within Ireland or in a UK or European market. We are competing for medical consultants in a world market and we have not responded appropriately so we now face major challenges. I agree with Senator Boyhan that we need to deal with this issue.