Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

With all due respect, I fully appreciate that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is taking the matter for the Minister for Health. The reality is that we have to look at what is on the ground. Today, I have called out ten hospitals individually. We were told what was recommended and what is the current status. The reality is that currently there are 41.5 nurse specialists in those ten hospitals when the recommendation is that there would be 142. The simple ask by this association is for 100 nurses. We can have all the commitments, aspirations and hopes, and we can have lectures and history classes about what happened two years ago, but today in January 2022 I am standing here to make a strong case to the Government that we revisit this campaign and that we all take the time to engage. Everyone is being asked to sign up to the online petition in support of the campaign. The current status is that it is up there online.I can only take what these practitioners and this association is telling me. There is a shortfall. They want 100 specialist nurses. They do not want the promise of them or the HSE talking about goodwill, commitment and aspiration. We want them on the ground and we want them treating our patients. I know the Minister of State is committed to that. I do not doubt that. However, we need to keep the pressure on and then, in two months' time, to come back in here and ask the Minister if he can say he is delivering. It is not about money in place or resources but about staff, specialist nurses, being in place. I thank the Minister of State for taking the question on behalf of the Minister for Health.