Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

We estimate that the 2,000 figure is our figure, and that is from our surveys of directors of nursing right across the system. Those are posts they needed to maintain safety. What the HSE introduced in December 2023 was that any post that was not physically occupied was not carried forward. In other words, if you were on unpaid maternity leave, we are now finding nurses are ringing us to say they are being told-----