Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I echo the Senator's welcome for Professor Maura Adshead from the school of politics and public administration at the University of Limerick, who is shadowing the Senator for the day. If I can tell the professor anything about her study for the day, one thing the Senator possesses, and she possesses many attributes, is consistency. I am on record previously as having said that it is one of my favourite attributes in any politician. We can all get very animated and exercised about individual issues but we tend to move on and drift more than we stay focused. It is timely that the Senator is being shadowed by an academic for the day on which I make that point. I thank the Senator for her consistency with regard to this issue. It is typical of her tenacity and determination.

HSE-speak and Civil Service-speak can be highly frustrating for us as politicians on many occasions. What does it mean that something continues to be a priority? We want timelines and deliverables. These are real people who are waiting for this service and want to have a nurse in place today rather than tomorrow. The commitment is that it will be progressed significantly by year end. Again, what does that mean exactly? This is the frustration I share with the Senator so I will certainly take up the issue and in my role as Minister of State with help from the Minister and his office, will ensure that I do justice to her prioritising of it in the House and ensure attention goes back down the chain with regard to refocusing attention on this issue to ensure there is a timely conclusion to this recruitment process.