Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

We have been advised that just over 450 posts can be created by conversion of agency posts. However, when you think about that, those people are already working in the system, That is not going to increase the workforce. It is just going to change how they are paid. The agency spend in 2023 was in or around €7.5 million per month for the 12 months. Up to August 2024 the figure, which we have from the HSE, was €63.8 million. Again, we believe that €6 million more will be spent on agency posts over the course of this year than in 2023. Conversion of agencies is a mechanism to say we will increase the nursing workforce by 450 posts by converting agency, but actually those people are already working.