Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The budget 2022 expenditure report claimed that the HSA had greatly increased staff. However, I understand it was revealed in March that the HSA had hired one extra inspector in 2020 and an additional three inspectors by April of this year, bringing the total to 70. To call that greatly increased staff is to put a very optimistic gloss on it.

The Minister of State referred to increased funding for the HSA. As far as I understand, when the reduction of income from sources other than direct Department payments is taken into account, the overall budget of the Health and Safety Authority actually fell last year from €26.76 million to €21.1 million. I ask the Minister of State to comment on that.