Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will refer to the budget later.

I wish to pick up on some comments made by Senators Ward and Boyhan about GPs and my comments relate to the recruitment of health staff. I have previously sought within these Houses for a discussion on a number of things within the health sector, including capital builds. It is important that we have a discussion on the recruitment and retention of staff within the health services.

GPs will face challenges. Westdoc is a GP service in my part of the world that is under pressure. It does not serve the communities nearest to me in Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard, as I have pointed out before. I do not know whether that is due to a reluctance by city-based GPs or due to financial and staffing issues. There are challenges in district hospitals and I have tabled a Commencement matter for tomorrow on Clifden District Hospital. It takes an hour and a half in bad traffic to travel from Clifden to Merlin Park Hospital, which is an alternative location for respite care yet there are recruitment and retention challenges when it comes to physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nursing staff in areas. We have met management representatives and we will meet union representatives. They have told us that it is difficult to recruit people to stay in some of the most remote district hospitals in the region. While there has been some success in recruiting nurses internationally, challenges exist. I would like to hear from the Minister for Health on his plans, in conjunction with the Government, to encourage greater international recruitment, more places in our universities or greater incentives to encourage people to work in the remotest communities and district hospitals and serve patients.Rows between management and unions are one thing but caught in the middle are the patients and their loved ones in communities where convalescence and respite, palliative or end-of-life care are a necessity.