Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Health Board Recruitment Expenditure.

Dan Neville

Ceist:

508 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the level of expenditure on advertisements for job vacancies at all levels for each health board for each of the years 1998 to 2001. [21678/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

The details requested by the Deputy and as provided to me by the health boards are as set out in the following table. Details in respect of the Eastern Regional Health Authority are being compiled at present and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.

HealthBoard/Authority	1998	IR£		1999	IR£		2000	IR£		2001 (year to date)*	IR£
Eastern
Midland	100,085	127,081.74	156,882	199,199.05	399,235	506,923.88	526,460	668,466.31
Mid-Western	212,353	269,632.69	148,603	188,686.89	441,704	560,848.39	559,472	710,382.90
North-Eastern	169,447	215,153.31	219,173	278,292.30	499,149	633,788.49	512,344	650,542.69
North-Western	257,233	326,618.54	315,457	400,547.77	832,475	1,057,025.21	886,670	1,125,838.66
South-Eastern	113,838	144,544.99	283,851	360,416.42	576,737	732,305.39	553,244	702,474,71
Southern	257,975	327,560.52	184,086	233,740.69	862,892	1,095,646.86	753,800	957,128.82
Western	144,382	183,327.32	173,518	220,322.41	544,359	691,193.35	751,473	954,173.88
Total	1,255,313	1,593,919.10	1,481,570	1,881,205.53	4,156,551	5,277,731.56	4,543,463	5,769,007.97

*Latest available figures.

The Deputy should note that at end-December 2000 there were approximately 96,000, 81,500 whole time equivalent, personnel employed in the health service, an increase of 11.9% over end-December 1999 with a further increase of 7,500 plus personnel planned for 2001. The significant increases in the numbers of staff recruited, coupled with the very competitive labour market over this period, have driven the increase in recruitment costs outlined in the table.