Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. I had to make that point.

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I am pleased that this issue is being raised. As a former union official, I know first hand how appalling the challenges are for workers in the health service. The statistics are shocking. There have been 5,593 assaults on nurses within a 20-month period. Frankly, I do not think the public are aware of the extent of the problem and the Joint Committee on Health was crucial in terms of trying to highlight the matter.

Of course, we are talking about a context of under-staffing and overcrowded wards and emergency departments. As the Minister will be aware, another report today highlighted the fact we have massive problems in terms of under-staffing across the hospital network at the minute.

I am glad the Minister is here because, obviously, I am going to talk about University Hospital Limerick, UHL. As he Minister will be aware, because I have written to him and the Deputy Leader has written to him, he needs to correct the record in relation to UHL. Three weeks ago, the Minister declared in this Chamber at the end of his speech that there were on average just six patients on trolleys in UHL. That is factually incorrect and so far out of the mainstream.