Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for raising the important issue of the welfare and safety of the staff of our health service. When it comes to the safety of our staff, it is vital that this House sends out a strong and united message. For this reason the Government will not oppose the motion. Matters were raised in the motion and in the debate this evening which I do not agree with, but it is important that a strong message is sent out about our healthcare workers.

While I have no doubt whatsoever of the good intentions of the proposers of the motion, it was a missed opportunity that the motion does not condemn attacks on our healthcare workers. I will do so now. There is no excuse, ever, to attack a healthcare worker. Every day tens of thousands of health and social care workers endeavour to deliver the best possible care to thousands of patients. It is completely unacceptable - it is intolerable - that any of our fantastic staff in the healthcare world should endure any form of abuse, attack or bullying while doing their jobs. We know things can be difficult for patients and their families. They may be very sick, dealing with heart-wrenching news about diagnoses or struggling to get the care they need. Our healthcare services are getting better but many services have a way to go when it comes to rapid access. Our healthcare workers are human. They get tired, make mistakes and they too get frustrated trying to provide their patients with the best possible services, but they are totally dedicated to providing the best possible services to their patients. We are blessed in Ireland with highly trained, dedicated healthcare professionals and it is never acceptable for them to be assaulted. As I said in the Dáil earlier this month, it is particularly invidious that some of the attacks are racist in nature. Everyone is welcome in Ireland's healthcare service, regardless of race, creed or ethnicity.