View Irish language version of this page JOIN US DONATE


“Pay increase for Top HSE Management Scandalous While Health Service is Broken ” – Peadar Tóibín

Speaking at Leaders Questions today Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín outlined the crisis engulfing the Health service and demanded that those presiding over it at the top of the HSE should not get pay rises.

He said

“HIQA found one patient was waiting on a trolley in University Hospital Limerick for five days. Patients in the mid west are travelling to Dublin rather than attend UHL because its so over crowded. Emergency department delays are at record levels with the sick and the old waiting on average 13 hours for admission. Older patients are waiting more than 19 hours for admission to A&E. Patients attending Tallaght Hospital are waiting on average 24.5 hours from registration to admission.

“8,680 patients were on trollies in May. There have been reports of double parking of hospital trollies on corridors due to the lack of space.  Mater Hospital and Mullingar Hospital telling patients not to present to their A&Es as they are too busy”.

“Up to 350 people are dying every year due to Emergency Department overcrowding according to Irish Association for Emergency Medicine.  The number of adverse incidents jumped from 79,000 to 105,000 in 5 years. That’s a 32 per cent increase in the number of people who have suffered from mistakes in clinical care.  Extreme incidents, which includes death or permanent incapacity, rose from 373 in 2017 to 579 last year. These are happening due to overcrowding and under resources. The number of Hospital beds has fallen from 20,000 to 14,000. The number of ICU beds are 200 fewer than HSE admit are needed. Many people cannot register with a GP and if you have a GP you can’t get a doctor’s appointment for a fortnight. Over 400 doctors have emigrated to Australia this year so far”. 

“Yet senior public servants earning more than €150k will receive at least a 10% pay increase. It is outrageous to reward those who have presided over a Health Service falling apart. Robert Watt receives €300,000. He is now in line for his 5th pay hike in just over a year. There is no relationship between work outcomes and productivity and the amount these public servants are paid. People doing valuable work and achieving success for the country should be paid well but that’s not what’s happening here”.

Peadar Tóibín continued “The announcement of the of a pay increase for the extremely wealthy is in stark contrast to the pay negotiations for lower and middle income earners in the Public Service. For Public Servants on €30,000 or €40,000, Minister Michael McGrath has offered a pay rise of 2.5%. This is while families are being hammered by a cost of living increase that will top out at 9% this year.”

“If you are a nurse struggling in the overcrowded departments, the government warn you about the National Debt and chasing inflation. But if you are a senior manager responsible for that overcrowding the government largesse is endless. The truth is, there are two Irelands. Those hammered by the Cost of Living Crisis and wealthy public servants getting pay rises double the rate of inflation.” Peadar Tóibín concluded

CRÍOCH

By Aontú Press | 22 June, 2022



Related Posts


The Irish political system is radically broken



In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.



Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.



Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.




JOIN US