Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of Sinn Féin, I welcome this Bill from the point of view of restoring the ability of holders of medical degrees from Britain and the North to take up interim training posts in this State. This is essential for attracting trained doctors into the HSE. Brexit has had, and continues to have, a very real impact on the mutual recognition of qualifications on this island and between Ireland and Britain. Prospective students across all sectors must have confidence that their qualifications will be recognised in other jurisdictions. It is incumbent on all stakeholders to work together to minimise the Border's ability to separate us and to limit the education options for students and employment opportunities for graduates. This Bill is a welcome first step toward addressing those concerns.

However, while the provisions of the Bill are welcome, they do not address the fundamental problem of our doctors and other healthcare professionals leaving the State. In the first five months of 2022, 402 work visas were issued by Australia to Irish doctors. This is nearly a 50% increase on the same figures from three years ago. The policy decisions and failures of this Government have created a situation that leaves talented graduates with little choice but to seek better opportunities and conditions overseas. It has left communities and regions with a severe shortage of doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Patients are left waiting for significant periods of time before a GP appointment. Many struggle to find a local GP who can take them as a patient in the first instance. Hospital waiting lists continue to lengthen. Recent figures show us that 885,000 patients are waiting in total, more than 500,000 of whom have been waiting longer than the Sláintecare target of ten to 12 weeks. Chronic overcrowding and unsafe conditions continue to place staff and patients at increased risk, while home care providers continue to operate in an unregulated manner.

I could go on. I know the problems can appear to be seemingly unsurmountable but healthcare providers and patients cannot continue like this. While any measures that seek to boost the workforce are welcome, the Government also needs to act to retain healthcare professionals who have qualified here. The greatest trick ever pulled by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is the idea that the health service cannot be fixed, but it can. The solutions to this crisis will not appear out of thin air. They require planning and investment. This Bill should be a first step in addressing the chronic issues in our health service. I urge the Government to work with my colleagues in Sinn Féin to bring about real change for healthcare workers, patients and their families.