Vol. 522 No. 2
240 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of psychiatric nurses working in an acting capacity; the reason large numbers of staff have been working in an acting capacity for up to ten years; the reason staff working in the community can be upgraded while those in hospital work have not been upgraded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18218/00]
The specific information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. I have asked the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards to supply this information and I will arrange to have it passed on to the Deputy as soon as possible.
As part of the nurses' strike settlement, agreement was reached with the nursing unions on a priority action plan for the implementation of the Commission on Nursing report. Included in that plan is the commission's recommendation that vacant management posts where nurses or midwives are acting up should be filled as soon as possible. My Department will shortly be issuing a circular letter to health agencies to review vacant nursing posts and to arrange for those posts to be filled on a substantive basis.
