Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last week, I raised a Commencement matter on labour shortages and the real difficulty for people in the horticultural sector, including the mushroom and soft-root sectors, dairying and meat production. The farming and horticulture community has difficulty getting people to come from outside the European Union due to issues around work permits. There was some discussion with the Minister in the House. I am very happy to acknowledge the great work the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, has done. Today, she announced a pilot scheme whereby 800 people will come in. She intends to expand that but will start initially with 800 people. This is a hugely positive boost for people in the horticulture sector and agriculture generally. She has clearly responded to their extensive representations in the last few days. It is important to acknowledge her good work.

Second, I come back to the old chestnut of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire. Since I last spoke to the Leader, I have received a letter from the private secretary of the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities to clarify that the hospital made submissions seeking 12 beds in January 2017 and that while six beds had been opened, there was no funding for the other six.The excuse is that the National Rehabilitation Hospital has made a submission to the HSE and it is telling the Minister that it will not be in a position to fund these beds possibly until the end-of-winter planning process of 2018-19. That is for six beds. These people are in acute beds in our hospitals. I went to the Minister of State and to the Minister, I wrote to the Taoiseach and received correspondence from him last week. We have now exhausted everything, apart from having public meetings in the constituency of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and asking for people's support. That may be the next strand of the campaign because I am determined to get these beds open. I spoke to the hospital today.

Can we ask the Minister to come back to the House for a debate? I ask anyone in the House who has contacts with the Joint Committee on Health to put this matter on its agenda and to have the Minister appear before that committee to explain why there is a shortage in these beds.