Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I still have a concern about staffing issues and I am sorry for raising the matter now. If one looks at the 2015 annual report, the number of managerial staff was down as 4,700 because grades 7 and 8 were listed under the heading of managerial capacity. We have changed this and taken them out of the managerial capacity category and listed them under the administrative capacity category. The issue I have relates to public health nurses. The public health nurses I meet tell me that nothing has improved for them. Mr. O'Brien tells me that they are now doing a lot of the administrative work with which those on the front line were previously dealing, but the staff on the front line are telling me otherwise. That is my concern.

I have also asked where is the cut-off point. Over 500 administrative staff were taken from the HSE and assigned to Tusla. We are now at a figure of 17,700 administrative staff, which is a higher number than we had before 2010. On top of this, we have to take the 500 staff who went to Tusla, which means that, technically, we are at a figure of 18,200. Where is the cut-off point for administrative and managerial staff, given that in other areas there has not been a pro rataincrease?

I also raised an issue about section 39 organisations in which those who work on the front line have not received the appropriate increase in remuneration which others received. That is why I am referring to the disproportionate changes which have occurred. That is what I am concerned about.