I will ask the Taoiseach about staffing levels in UHL. The Government has said that it is committed to doing everything it can in this regard, hence Mr. Justice Clarke's report, which is due out soon and which I presume will recommend a level 3 hospital given the Minister's statement in recent weeks. There are 183 nursing positions vacant despite some derogation from the embargo. What is going to be done about this? There is another real issue that is even more important. A recent missive of 19 April stated that all temporary higher appointments in UHL will be blocked and reversed. Anybody acting up, which is normal across the HSE, in UHL will no longer be allowed to do so. This applies to approximately 60 people in UHL, including some who work in the emergency department. Will the Taoiseach please get on to the Minister and investigate this matter? Not only are there 183 nursing vacancies, but now all of those who were acting up until that date have gone back to their normal jobs. Many senior positions and other positions are therefore vacant because of this unilateral decision, which is in breach of the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 and the Payment of Wages Act 1991. If the Government is doing everything it can to solve the issues in the mid-west and at UHL, why in the name of God is it doing this?

I thank Deputy Kelly for raising this issue regarding temporary higher appointments. I will not pretend to have been aware of it because I was not. I do not doubt what he has said. I will ask the Minister for Health to come back to the Deputy on the matter directly. I have a note here that shows the very significant increase in staffing at the hospital. I will send it to the Deputy but I know he is well aware of that increase. I will ask the Minister for Health to revert to the Deputy on the specific issue he has raised.