Aindrias Moynihan
Question:185. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health how long the Health Service Executive's recruitment bar will last; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13951/16]
View answerWednesday, 1 June 2016
Questions (185)
Written answers
Arising from Budget 2015, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced an easing of restrictions on the employment of additional staff. Submission of a Pay and Numbers Strategy, outlining planned staffing levels and pay/pensions expenditure was required to obtain sanction for the lifting of the moratorium and Employment Control Framework arrangements.
This change allows for greater autonomy to be delegated to Departments and Agencies to manage their own staffing levels within allocated pay frameworks. It also provides for further recruitment flexibility, for example where it is determined that offering permanent contracts can achieve more economical service delivery than agency usage.
The HSE are currently working with my Department on the preparation of their 2016 Pay and Numbers Strategy. This has involved the development of ‘bottom up’ workforce plans at hospital and community service level. While these plans are being developed, interim recruitment measures have been put in place by the HSE, which require that pay budgets are complied with.
These measures do not impact on a hospital’s ability to recruit where funding exists to facilitate that recruitment; for example in the case of replacement posts or where funding has been allocated for particular roles under the HSE service plan. Recruitment can also take place in areas of critical care and emergency services.