Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the ambassador to the House on behalf of my grouping. I offer my best wishes on Germany's national day.

I have raised issues relating to Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, on numerous occasions and I understand that the report by Conleth Bradley SC into the board was received by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications on 22 July. It has been sent to the chair of the board of IFI and was received on 26 September. I look forward to the publication of that report. I suspect it will find that there was nothing untoward or wrong with the interactions, engagements and workings of the board of IFI. I believe that for two reasons, first, due to my experience of the board and its members and, second, if there were shortcomings or wrongdoing, that report would have been sent to the chair of IFI a damn sight quicker than two months after it was received by the Department. I will say no more on that because there are other issues that I have with IFI.

Myself and Oireachtas Members in the area had a very constructive engagement with unions regarding Clifden District Hospital earlier today. That follows on from a meeting last Monday about the hospital. I thank the Cathaoirleach for choosing the Commencement matter on this issue yesterday on this with my colleagues, Senators Pauline O'Reilly and Ollie Crowe. We talk about the HSE but in reality we need to talk about groups in the west such as the Saolta Hospital Group and the community health organisations, CHOs, because they are totally separate, as far as I can see, in their workings and engagement. For example, Saolta Hospital Group can recruit hundreds of nursing staff internationally, be it in India or the Philippines yet CHO west is unable to do that or does not do that. There are shortfalls in staffing in St. Anne's in Clifden and in Clifden District Hospital and that is putting pressure on the whole system. There is a huge variation between Saolta and the CHO. God knows, I have criticised the hospital group enough on various issues but at least it is going out and recruiting staff as best it can internationally because the well in Ireland is exhausted. We need to look at what we can do about that as well. I was shocked to hear the variation in practices between Saolta Hospital Group on the one hand and CHO west on the other. I asked for a debate earlier this week on workforce planning within the health system and international recruitment. I look forward to that being arranged in the near future.