Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Doran and members of the INMO for their presentation this morning. The most frustrating aspect of the health service, for those on the front line and for members of this committee examining the system is that we see the HSE managing the cents while, at the same time, haemorrhaging thousands of euros in the way in which it operates the system on a day-to-day basis. The report before us today clearly undermines the general impression that there are too many nurses in the system. We have seen how the large numbers of nurses who retired last spring has impacted on the numbers of agency staff being used, which is unsustainable. I wish to ask the witnesses about the vacant posts within the system. On foot of the retirements last year, the HSE gave approval to managers, on a case-by-case basis, to sanction individual posts-----