Search the record

IBCLC is an internationally recognised specialist lactation qualification. Why should someone who has developed that specialist expertise necessarily have to be a nurse or a midwife before the HSE can employ them as a lactation consultant? I am not suggesting that we replace nurses and midwives - far from … days and weeks after mam comes home are absolutely crucial. When community services were mapped, one area reported having two public health nurses who were qualified lactation consultants but they could not be released as dedicated lactation consultants because of their general public health nursing workload. Think

agreement that healthcare workers are the backbone of our health service. Every doctor, nurse, healthcare professional and support staff member who comes to work every day plays a critical role in delivering care to patients. I know the Deputy has delivered that with sincerity. We, as a Government … recognise that recruitment and retention remain significant challenges not just in Naas, but across the healthcare service in Ireland and internationally. That is why considerable investment has been made in staffing, workforce growth and hospital resources over recent years. Increasing staff numbers alone is not enough. We also

Every day for 197 days this year already, 500 patients have been in hospital and ready to leave, but who have nowhere to go. The number hit 600 just two weeks ago, and this is all because of the failure to invest in nursing home care and other … step-down care facilities. Those delayed transfers of care are costing our hospitals €20 million every month yet we had fewer nursing home beds at the start of October than we did at the start of the year. I see nothing about that in the budget. Step-down

meaningful plan to encourage new providers to enter the market to keep the existing provision open, or as a I referenced the other day, to move towards some form of a State childcare network. Healthcare faces similar problems in my constituency. There are still no meaningful incentives … important and vital contribution, particularly in healthcare, but has anyone ever properly evaluated the cost of losing locally trained nurses and teachers compared with the cost of recruiting internationally and then supporting family reunification, housing, education and public services costs? I would hazard a guess that

lose the teachers, gardaí, nurses and so on to the United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand or even across the water to England, we need to make sure people feel valued. In this context, I refer to an audiovisual presentation this morning by nursing and midwifery graduates … nursing and midwifery graduates has increased, permanent employment opportunities have not kept pace. The failure to provide these career pathways and employment opportunities sends a negative message to graduates after years of study, sacrifice and service. We know our Irish-trained nurses and midwives are highly regarded internationally

married to the nurse and to the teacher in a relationship with a civil servant that they will ultimately have to pay more or they need to come out and explain where they are going to cut public services. In the challenging economic days, 45% of workers were … discussion in this House takes place in a vacuum of calls for more and more and ignoring what is going on in international markets. Many countries now have to borrow at interest rates of 5% or more. Thank God we do not, but we must be conscious that

week of World Mental Health Day is a good time to reflect on the progress that has been made in mental healthcare while also recognising the work that remains to be done to ensure that people, particularly young people, can access support when they need it most. Mental … seeing some good developments in this area. Beaumont Hospital, in my constituency, is establishing a specialist mental health crisis nursing team, with triage nurses providing vital support to people on the northside presenting to the emergency department in acute mental distress. The sooner that service

opportunity to mark National Breastfeeding Week and to recognise the thousands of parents, healthcare professionals, advocates and community organisations that work every day to support breastfeeding across Ireland. Like everyone else, I take the opportunity to welcome the very small visitors to the Public Gallery today. I thank … other health conditions, who may sometimes receive conflicting or outdated advice. Support must also continue after birth. Access to lactation consultants, public health nurses and community-based supports can make a significant difference in helping mams overcome challenges in the early weeks and months. Access to these services