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Health Services Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 February 2022

Thursday, 24 February 2022

Questions (413)

David Cullinane

Question:

413. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to recruit staff into the HSE for 2022; the target number of additional staff to be recruited in 2022; his views on whether the higher target will be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10733/22]

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Written answers

Budget 2022 secured funding for up to an additional 10,000 WTE, reflecting the level of ambition and desire to invest in our health services. However, there are a range of targets set out in the draft National Service Plan. The targeted recruitment for this year continues to address any identified staff shortages across grades and service areas.

Discussions between the Department and HSE officials agreed that, due to the current challenging recruitment environment, 5,500 WTE is a more achievable target for 2022. The upper affordable limit of 10,000 WTE is not seen as undeliverable, but rather one that will be ambitious and challenging to achieve, given the risks affecting labour supply. It is worth noting that these recruitment targets are additional WTE and do not include the replacement of existing staff who retire/leave during the year.

The HSE identified the more realistic recruitment target of 5,500 WTE alongside a more challenging ‘stretch’ target of 10,000 WTE set out in the National Service Plan. The Department has been working closely with the HSE to assess potential savings and further decisions on how this funding will be used will be taken. Actual recruitment will, as always, be monitored by the HSE and the Department throughout the course of the year under the governance and oversight arrangements in place.

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