Ms Laverne McGuinness:

It is stated on page 39 of the HIQA report that "some staff reported that while they had accepted a new position within the service, they did not have the requisite technical knowledge for the particular post". What we have said is that when staff are seeking appointment to posts, job descriptions are provided and interviews are held by our national recruitment service, which operates under licence from the Public Appointments Service. People are assessed against a level of competencies and at interview they are either deemed suitable or unsuitable to perform the particular role involved. Anybody undergoing that competitive process is offered a position. People stating after the fact that they do not possess the requisite skills is a matter we will be obliged to probe because that would not have appeared to have been the case during the interview process. Use of the word "technical" is interesting. All our medical and paramedical staff are fully trained, so it must, therefore, be in the management field or the administrative category. As Mr. Dunne outlined, there is also a full training programme. Over 114 people are currently involved in a performance training programme and there are more involved in a master's programme. A range of developments is in train. We are aware that we need to develop our managers fully. In view of the fact that a restricted funding environment has obtained across the health service in recent years, this is not something in which we have invested heavily. It is, however, part of our workforce plan for 2015 and we will be acting upon it.

On the budget, the national ambulance service will come to a nearly break-even position by the end of the year. It has operated very well within its overall budget of €138.5 million. It will have €145 million for 2015 and it will achieve a relatively break-even position by the end of December next.