Ms Louise McGirr:

I can respond to that. We agree the pay and numbers strategy or the broad parameters of same. We are really concerned about a couple of things, the first of which is affordability. Does the budget that the HSE has for pay equal what is in its pay and numbers strategy? Is there clear prioritisation around the grade groupings, as we call them, which are medical, dental, nursing and midwifery and so on, those big groups of staff? What do they look like in comparison with each other? As Ms Hoey said, there is flexibility within that in terms of re-prioritisation of medical and clinical posts or nursing and midwifery posts. Broadly, we are concerned to ensure that the HSE has a recruitment plan and that it sticks to it throughout the year. What has happened in the case of management and administration staff is that the affordability limit has been exceeded and so measures have had to be taken.