Results 21-40 of 1,060,190 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:David Cullinane OR speaker:Bernard Durkan OR speaker:Seán Haughey OR speaker:Cian O'Callaghan OR speaker:Seán Crowe) in 'Committee meetings'

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I want to offer the remaining time I have to Ms Kelleher who is, we are told, a radiation therapist. Ms Kelleher might be able to give us a sense - Mr. Ginley spoke in his opening statement about equipment not being utilised and the shortage of radiation therapists - of what effect the embargo has had on her grade and on the service that her professionals and colleagues provide. I will give...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: Through the Chair, I ask that if the unions are telling us they have sought data and they have not got it, maybe we can use our own offices here to request that information from the HSE regarding suppressed posts, unfilled posts and all of the information that the unions have not got. There has not been any engagement. What the witnesses are telling us is that unilateral decisions were made...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Seán Crowe: We can certainly follow that up. Deputy Róisín Shortall is next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Seán Crowe: To follow up on what was said about radiation services, the last time we had a group from the HSE and the Department before the committee, I raised the issue of a child with scoliosis who was in Crumlin hospital. The child was there a number of weeks in Crumlin hospital with the parents sharing the room with two other children because they could not get an MRI. Thankfully, the child has got...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Seán Crowe: I call Deputy Shortall. We will have a comfort break after that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Seán Crowe: I thank Mr. Ginley. I ask members again to turn off their mobile phones. It interferes with the broadcasting. Members and witnesses will have heard phones beeping away in the background. I invite Senator Kyne to lead us off in the questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome our guests. Recruitment and retention has been an issue in recent years for nursing and all other staff. What are the main features of the difficulties that are being created there? Is it lower pay or lack of accommodation or is there some other reason that we should know about? It is absolutely essential that we have adequate staffing at all levels throughout the health service...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: A question arises. Does Ms Ní Sheaghdha believe that whatever is required should be recruited regardless of budgetary restraints?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: There has to be some level within which you operate.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: How do we compare with staffing levels in adjoining jurisdictions, for instance the UK, France or Germany? We are in the European Union. We are always extolled to comply with regulations that prevail in the European Union. How do we compare with our next-door neighbours when it comes to the payment of staff and salaries in general?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: We cannot compete with the sunshine countries in terms of climate but we should be able to compete generally in terms of salaries for staff. It is suggested, for instance, that there are 12.8 practising nurses per 1,000 head of population, which is one of the highest ratios in the European Union. I do not know whether that is true or false. Is it correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: That is debatable because it depends on who you talk to. We get criticism on that, too, and we have to try to answer the criticisms. When staff levels were increased - recruitment of 6,000 was approved and it went to 8,000 – what were the most sensitive areas to which those staff could be detailed? Were there areas that were more sensitive than others? Were there posts that need...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Why?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: It is immediately obvious to some people within the service. There are some who claim within the service that is the way they see it. I agree with the assessment in respect of HSE staff but they have traditionally been over-employed in the health services. That is going back 20 years. There was always the reliance on agency staff and they became greater than the cause. Then those numbers...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: If I can make one last point, I agree the population has grown but so has the budget. The budget for health has grown way ahead of what the population was in 1957, for example. The population has doubled since then but the health budget has doubled as well, and trebled.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Seán Crowe: I am conscious there are other members looking to come in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: That is the argument that is put to us.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Seán Crowe: I have a number of members still to come in. Senator Conway has seven minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Seán Crowe: I am sorry to interrupt, was Ms Carberry looking to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)

Seán Crowe: Thank you. I am conscious that we are in Senator Conway's section now.