Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2010
52 Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will give urgent consideration to the wholesale emigration of newly qualified nurses and the loss to the Irish health service of such highly-trained young persons; if she will implement a scheme to keep at least some of them at home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20205/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis year, the HSE is required to achieve a net reduction of 1,520 (or 1.4%) in its employment levels. Corresponding reductions will be required in 2011 and 2012 to achieve an overall reduction of 6,000 between March 2009 and December 2012. These reductions are an essential and unavoidable part of the measures being taken by the Government to address the gap between revenue and expenditure.
While there is provision in the HSE's Employment Control Framework for some exemptions and exceptions these are limited because of the need to achieve the required payroll savings. The alternative would be to reduce services in order to secure the necessary expenditure reductions which I assume the Deputy would not favour.
I recognise that the employment controls introduced by the Government will obviously impact on newly qualified nurses. However, the only way to ensure we have a sustainable health service in the future is to take firm action now to address the budgetary imbalance.
