Mr. Damian Ginley:

It is a policy adopted by the HSE that, going forward, each of the six regional health areas controlled by a regional executive officer, REO, will have a sum of money to provide services within that region. They are not allowed to breach that sum of money or that ceiling. We have identified that, at the starting point, we are already in deficit because with regard to the figures from December 2023, which are being utilised as the starting point going forward, there are gaps all over the place.

The REO in each area has a sum of money they are not allowed to spend in excess of, so decisions will be taken with regard to filling posts within their areas based on the greatest need but you will end up in a situation where you are potentially robbing Peter to pay Paul. If I make an argument for one grade and there are resources put in to fix that, the money to pay for those resources will come from another grade. That is where it is flawed from the start. We are starting from a base that is unsustainable. There are deficits across the service at the moment and the HSE is asking workers to operate, going forward in this new world of pay and numbers, with that deficit. It is going to create challenge and crisis everywhere.

We have said from the start that it is a flawed approach. Staffing should not be determined by numbers or money solely. Yes, there are budgets and we understand that but you have to be able to provide a safe staffing framework for all grades that will determine the numbers needed in each grade and category to provide a safe service for the patients who need and demand that service. The approach being adopted is not going to achieve that.