Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Like many others, I visited the picket lines this morning in support of the nurses and midwives at Holles Street hospital. The striking level of public support for the strikers is because people understand this is not simply an issue for some workers but is an issue about decent standards and safety for the nurses and front-line staff and for patients. It is about ensuring that the lifeblood of the health system, which nurses are, are able and supported to work in decent conditions. That is something that is important for every citizen. People recognise and are in solidarity with the nurses for that reason.

It is unfortunate that we have seen Brexit being thrown as a reason for not taking action. We should note now it will not be acceptable to use this as the card repeatedly in areas of action. Unless there is a moratorium on the cost of living, on rent and on the considerable costs that nurses carry to live and work in our towns and cities, one cannot ask them to continue to live on wages and work in conditions that are inadequate. Indeed, the UK has been an issue in nursing because we have lost so many nurses there. We have lost nurses to all places over the world because we are not addressing the decency of conditions they need. I urge the Government to take an active and creative role in seeking solutions and engaging.In fact, I wish engagement had been intensified in the past month. I go further and remind the Government that just a few weeks ago we commemorated the democratic programme of the First Dáil. We talked about the role of the Government in seeking co-operation from the governments of all other countries to determine standards of social and industrial legislation which consistently improves. We can engage with other countries such as Hungary. I note that another great advocate for workers' rights, Luke Kelly, is being celebrated today by the city of Dublin with the unveiling of two statues. He sang "School Days Over", "Springhill Mine Disaster" and "Joe Hill" and it is wonderful to see him being marked, in particular, in the year after his brother, another wonderful workers' activist, Mr. Jimmy Kelly, a great personal friend of mine and many others, passed away. It is a strong reminder of where people from the ground up stand on workers' rights. I commend Luke Kelly, as I commend the strikers.