Government must intervene to avert HSE industrial action and deal with serious staff shortages

Labour’s Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD has today demanded urgent intervention from the Minister for Health as almost 70,000 health workers prepare to escalate industrial action next Monday, and psychiatric nurses begin work to rule today.

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Sherlock said:

“Government’s failure to address the deep-rooted staffing crisis in our health service has brought us to the brink of major disruption next week.

“Almost 70,000 health workers are set to begin a work-to-rule on Monday. Our psychiatric nurses have begun work to rule today.

“This is not about pay nor conditions. It is because staff are stretched to breaking point and the safety of our health service is at risk.

“In particular, mental health services and disability services in the community are buckling under the weight of suppressed vacancies, unfilled maternity leave, and a chronic lack of long-term workforce planning. In my own community, Children’s Disability Network Teams are struggling to maintain staff.

“The pay and numbers strategy pursued by this Government is failing both patients and staff—meanwhile, agency spending continues to increase. Last year saw an increase to €274m across the publicly owned hospitals with spending across all both voluntary and public hospitals up to €850 million. Many parts of our health service, especially community mental health services, are only surviving because of the good will of staff to work overtime.

“Even our so-called ‘jewel in the crown’—the new National Children’s Hospital—is already facing a staffing crisis before it even opens. It is 382.8 WTE short to maintain existing levels of services when it moves. A report sent from Children’s Health Ireland to the HSE in October 2023 warned that the move to the new hospital would require a substantial increase in staff to maintain existing safe services. That report has been met with silence. The HSE and the Department of Health have failed to respond.

“This cannot go on. We must take real action to value our healthcare staff. That means a comprehensive workforce strategy to train, recruit, and crucially retain enough skilled professionals in every discipline. It means listening to staff concerns, engaging with unions, providing key worker housing, and ensuring safe working conditions. We cannot continue to drive our health workers into exhaustion while papering over the cracks with escalating agency costs.

“Labour is calling on the Minister for Health to take immediate and decisive action to avert next Monday’s dispute. The Government cannot ignore this crisis any longer—our health workers and patients deserve better.”