This morning, INMO representative Mr. Derek Reilly claimed that Tallaght hospital is unsafe and dangerous. He said that while he had great confidence in the staff, he would not like to be admitted to the accident and emergency unit. He said the unit is unfit for purpose owing to overcrowding and that the staffing level is lower than in 2012. As the Tánaiste knows, that is the same year in which HIQA produced a report on the unnecessary death of a patient at the hospital. In that report, HIQA stated front-line staff concerns about staffing had to be addressed. The chief executive officer of the hospital has denied the claims but at the same time he has agreed that there were 36 patients on trolleys in the accident and emergency unit yesterday. This number has decreased to 20 now but that is by cancelling all elective and day-case surgeries.

What is happening now, not only in Tallaght hospital but also in many others, is that elective surgery and day care are being postponed further and further. Is the Government satisfied that patient safety is not being jeopardised in Tallaght hospital? Is the Tánaiste confident that the 2014 service plan is sufficient to meet the growing demands on the accident and emergency departments across the country?

I am informed that the chief executive officer of Tallaght hospital, Mr. David Slevin, has stated it is not the case that the health of patients is under threat at the hospital. I understand he has provided assurances that the situation is being managed and that the hospital is providing adequate patient care.

Tallaght hospital is experiencing an unprecedented surge in the number of people attending its emergency department. However, circumstances continue to improve. I am told there are currently 19 people in total on trolleys. The hospital is implementing a response plan to manage actively the current pressures with a focus on regular ward rounds to increase the number of patients discharged. Thirty day-case procedures have been cancelled for today and tomorrow, and the patients have been notified. A meeting is to take place with hospital management tomorrow to discuss staff concerns.

With regard to staffing issues, the hospital is actively seeking to fill a number of nursing vacancies, particularly three nursing posts in the emergency department. The Department of Health, the HSE special delivery unit and the INMO all agree that waiting on trolleys is an unacceptable feature of the health care system that must be addressed. However, to date this year nationally, we are 3.3% ahead of the figure for 2013 and 34% ahead of the baseline trolley count for 2011. These percentages are the equivalent of 225 and 3,365 fewer patients on trolleys, respectively.

The Tánaiste seems to be dismissing out of hand the concerns of front-line staff. It appears that the Government does not listen to the people at the coalface. We know this problem is not confined to Tallaght hospital because there is a crisis in the hospitals in Galway, Limerick and Castlebar and many others.

Beaumont.

Clonmel.

There are 286 patients on trolleys across the country. Despite all the massaging of the figures, the fact is that there was a 2% increase in the number of patients on trolleys last year. The way this problem is being solved by the HSE is that it is sending people messages asking them not to turn up for their elective or day surgery. Time and again, people are ringing every constituency office in the country saying they were called for elective surgery two, three or four times only to have it postponed continually. Is that a way to run the hospitals? What will be done to deal with this issue, as opposed to putting extra beds in the wards? At present, the HSE is just putting extra beds into the wards and stating the patients are not on trolleys anymore. That is not dealing with the issue. One cannot keep postponing elective surgery forever.

The Government is listening to staff at the front line and to patients and their families. The problem is not being ignored by the Government but addressed by it, the HSE and hospital management. I remind the Deputy that the number on trolleys is significantly lower than when Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív and his colleagues had responsibility for the health service. That said, the number is still not low enough. No patient should have to remain on a trolley overnight. The objective should be to reduce the waiting time.

A problem that has arisen in Tallaght hospital is that there is a spike in the number of people presenting at the accident and emergency department. This may be due to the time of year. The issue is being addressed on a ward-round basis. Some elective procedures are being cancelled to deal with the beds issue. Staff are being met and I understand hospital management is to meet tomorrow to discuss staff concerns. Issues arise over the number of nursing staff, in particular, in the emergency department at the hospital. Additional staff are being recruited and the issue is being addressed.