Key Sláintecare figures resigned because they were frustrated at every step. The Government served up weak regional health areas. This Government is out of ideas, out of touch and out of time. A new Sinn Féin Government would produce a multi-annual waiting list plan. We would invest in capacity and workforce planning. We would train enough healthcare workers to staff the health service safely. We would engage with young people to encourage them to train and stay in work in the Irish public health service. We would …

We were on 33% in the last poll. Let us see how it goes.

The first question is to afford the Minister for Health an opportunity to outline the status of the pandemic bonus payment, how the payment of the bonus is progressing for all healthcare workers who are entitled to it and to outline the status of the special leave with pay for front-line healthcare workers with long Covid and, more importantly, what long-term payment will be put in place.

I am fair-minded when I come at this because I understand we must ensure we get it right and the payment is made appropriately but I think the Minister would also accept this was a concept first mooted 18 months ago. The Government started the year announcing the payment yet six months later, here we are with many workers still not having received it. I am referring to section 39 workers, contract workers and workers working in private nursing homes. In fact, I do not know if some of the lowest-paid workers, includ…

The Minister will be aware that when he attended a conference organised by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, he made a clear commitment there would be no cliff edge and that the payment would not simply end without an alternative in place. That is precisely what happened. I was in contact with the INMO today to find out whether there were any changes to the special leave with pay payment for front-line workers with Covid. There have not been, so at the moment there is no support. Of course the Minis…

Not if they have long Covid.

This question relates to the Minister's plans to tackle the crisis in emergency departments. As he knows, waiting times in emergency departments are unacceptably high. I accept that Covid-19 is in part responsible for that but there are also issues in respect of the lack of capacity in some hospitals. Part of the problem is patients are not getting sufficiently good care in the community or through a GP. I also wish to ask the Minister specifically about the mid-west region and the particular problems we have at Un…

We need a comprehensive review of healthcare services in the mid-west. I would, in fact, argue that one of the first regional health areas should be established in that area. We need to properly align community care, primary care and acute care. We must also consider capacity in Nenagh Hospital, Ennis Hospital and St. John's Hospital. I know the hospital group has advocated for an elective hospital in the mid-west. There is possibly merit in that. I know that representatives of the group have met the Minister on th…

All of that is necessary. However, I would like to see what is in the short-term plan about which the Minister is talking. I have visited a number of hospitals, as the Minister knows. I have attended 15 in total in the past year. I know the Minister has attended some as well. Some hospitals have taken a zero-tolerance approach to patients on hospital trolleys. In fact, in my own constituency of Waterford, there have been no patients on trolleys for the whole year. It does not mean that people are not waiting too lo…

They have good Deputies there, for a start.

I am taking this question on behalf of an Teachta Ó Laoghaire. It relates to the resourcing of the CDNTs but, more specifically, the staff positions and the high numbers of vacant positions, and seeking an update on plans that have been or will be put in place to try and fill all of those vacant posts.

I accept that the number of vacant posts changes and fluctuates because people who are on maternity leave come back and because the HSE is constantly recruiting. However, I would be interested to hear what the accurate figure is. At a recent meeting of the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, we had a good discussion on all of these issues. We talked about the CDNT census, which identified 542.5 whole-time equivalent posts as being vacant at that point. In budget 2022, an additi…

I thank the Minister of State. I would say to the Minister for Health as well that we need to increase training places in this area. Obviously, we need more of a pipeline of staff coming through. I welcome that this is an area that was added to the critical skills lists as well in recent times, which means that international recruitment is now an option. The reply I received recently to a parliamentary question referred to a relocation payment that could be provided as well to entice some people to come here from a…

I will be supporting most of the amendments, with the exception of one. I just want to make a number of points first, speaking to amendment No. 6, which is a very substantial amendment. I want to welcome the overall proposal, because it is an important measure that will help and support many women. It is important from a family planning perspective. I welcome that it includes the range of contraception products, including long-acting reversible contraceptives. I also welcome the clarification the Minister gave, whi…

I have accepted during my speech on Second Stage and in my earlier contribution that all the elements of this Bill are big steps forward. I have acknowledged that. I accept the rationale the Minister has given regarding the time constraints, the legal advice he has been given and the reasons that amendment has been proposed. I accept at face value what he said to us. The only part of the amendment I oppose is section 67E(6), read out earlier, which states: "In making regulations under subsection (5), the Minister s…

I welcome the Minister and commend the publication of the Bill. Any measure that reduces the cost of healthcare for any citizen is obviously to be welcomed. I also support and welcome the introduction of free contraception for women aged from 17 to 25 years. I commend the Minister on the very good work that has been done over the last year on women's healthcare, notwithstanding differences we had on the national maternity hospital. I accept that we have seen some significant changes in recent times in this area, on…

In responding to an Teachta Tóibín on a previous question, the Minister quite rightly praised front-line healthcare workers but we must value the work they do not simply by our words but by our deeds. Why then is it the case that six months on from the Government agreeing to pay the pandemic bonus only one third of healthcare workers have received that payment? It is just unbelievable. That needs to be expedited and everything possible that can be done should be done to ensure they get their payment. I also ask the…

I commend my colleague, Deputy Guirke, on tabling this motion and giving us an opportunity to debate this issue, which is really important. There was a meeting last week of Oireachtas Members, HSE officials, clinicians and others who work in the hospital group and very frank and important exchanges took place at that meeting. As the Minister knows, a document was circulated by the HSE which made the executive's intentions explicitly clear. It included dates and made it very clear that the ICU and high-dependence un…

In many elements of healthcare at the moment there is a real crisis in recruiting staff. The Tánaiste will be aware that there are millions of home help hours that cannot be provided because we cannot recruit the staff. There are some 700 vacant posts in network teams supporting children with disabilities. Yesterday I met with the Irish Pharmacy Union and there is a real crisis in recruiting community pharmacists. A range of solutions are needed. Partly it is to do with terms and conditions of employment, but many …

The Tánaiste is the Minister responsible in this regard.