Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health David Cullinane TD has urged TDs to back his party’s motion in the Dáil this evening that seeks to make the health service a better place to work and tackle dangerously long wait times for appointments and procedures.

The motion outlines Sinn Féin’s proposals for tackling dangerously long waiting lists and will be debated in the Dáil at 17:40 this evening.

Speaking this afternoon ahead of the motion, Teachta Cullinane said:

“The Government has failed to halt the scandal of health waiting lists for far too long. Time and time again they have failed to act and implement the fundamental reforms needed. Sinn Féin are bringing forward this motion in the Dáil this evening to urge the government to act and end this crisis.

“We are setting out our comprehensive and deliverable proposals to end the scandal of long health waiting lists.

“There are now 1.34 million people on waiting lists for community, hospital, and diagnostic services. This is totally unacceptable and ordinary people are paying the price for this government’s failure on health. Behind every statistic are real lives which are impacted by this crisis.

“It is clear that this government will not fix the health crisis. Change is clearly needed urgently.

“Sinn Féin are bringing forward this motion in the Dáil to end the scandal of long health waiting lists. I am urging all TDs to back it and ensure this vital issue is finally addressed.

“We need to see a step change in investment and workforce planning to fix the health service. No waiting list plan is credible without a workforce strategy which deals with two-tier pay, excessive hours, unsafe staffing levels, and outstanding agreements which have not been implemented.

“We need to restore trust with the health service workforce and show the new generation of graduates we want to keep them here.

“Sinn Féin would invest in more training places and give health graduates a job guarantee.

“We would also put in place new structures for good management of the health service which can be held to account for waiting lists.

“This Government does not have the appetite or vision to fix our broken health service. Sinn Féin in government would deliver the change needed to secure a health service that works.

“Our motion sets out how this change can be delivered to make a much-needed difference to the lives of ordinary people. I am urging all TDs to back this motion this evening and end the scandal of long health waiting lists.”

Sinn Féin’s Private Member’s Bill will be debated in the Dáil this evening from 17:40