The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has robustly defended his comments on health service staff working through early January. “So we know that peak demand in the health service happens in the first two weeks in January. That’s the norm across industry and services, he said, and should be the case in the health service. The comments from the former health minister and doctor have been criticised by health service staff who say lack of beds are among the issues causing patients to languish on trolleys in emergency departments. If more doctors and nurses were appointed staff would “row in” with plans for full service over holiday periods, he said.

Source: The Irish Times November 07, 2018 15:56 UTC