Mr. Peter Hughes:

The Department could develop resources. There are also ways of attracting staff to work in services. What is happening is there is a continuous flow of the work environment, meaning the more one works short-staffed, the more frustrated and demoralised staff become. We must create a good working environment and also address the pay issue. I cited the example of a private service in Dublin. Other private companies are paying newly qualified psychiatric nurses €25 per hour, which equates to approximately €50,000 as a basic annual salary. Nurses only need to move to the United Kingdom and they will receive a relocation package of €8,000.

We must consider providing subsidised accommodation. We made a proposal, as part of a pre-budget submission and separately to the pay commission, to include some subsidised staff accommodation in Portrane where the new national forensic hospital is being built. While I am not an expert in construction, add-ons to major construction projects do not cost much. One could impose conditions on staff moving into subsidised accommodation, for example, requiring them to move out after a maximum of five years. This proposal, if implemented, would attract staff.

As I outlined, there are 58 vacancies in the Portrane service and almost 30 vacancies on the mental health side. It is difficult to attract people to work in that area. The majority of those who work in the forensic mental health service live on the southside of Dublin or in County Wicklow. If these staff are expected to move to Portrane, we must consider the provision of subsidised accommodation or some sort of allowance. We must also address the pay element.