Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 3 December 2021
208. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of public health consultants working in the health service; the way this compares with the end of 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59361/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 14 April 2021, an agreement was reached between health service management and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) on a reformed public health model in Ireland involving the establishment of the position of Consultant in Public Health Medicine and providing for the creation of 84 consultant posts in public health. The agreement specifically provided for the recruitment of 34 priority posts by end June 2022, 30 further posts by end June 2023 and a final 20 posts by end December 2023.
I am pleased to confirm that arrangements for filling the initial 34 Consultant posts by end June 2022 are on target and all of these posts are to be advertised by the end of the year.
I also note that the most recent data from the HSE confirms that the pandemic workforce plan is 83% complete. Of the total of 254 posts, a total of 207.6 posts have been accepted, with 162 of these commenced.
