In a recent session at the Dáil, Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald highlighted the ongoing struggle faced by hospitals in Ireland due to restrictions on recruitment. She emphasized the urgent need for permanent staff as spending on agency staff has skyrocketed from €350 million to €650 million. This situation was described as a “runaway train,” further perpetuating the crisis in the health service.
Despite the Taoiseach pointing out a 43% increase in the health budget since 2020, People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd Barrett accused the government of deceiving the public by maintaining a recruitment embargo. Meanwhile, the Labour leader, Ivana Bacik, raised concerns about the teacher shortage crisis in schools, criticizing the high teacher-pupil ratio in Ireland.
Aontú leader Peadar Toibín brought attention to the tragic case of Kyran Durnin, shedding light on the failures within the State care system. The heartbreaking revelations prompted a call for a thorough investigation to prevent such occurrences in the future.