Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

Many experienced health service staff are likely to take early retirement which will have an impact on service provision. Can the Minister refuse applications for early retirement? Can the retirement scheme be devised in such a way to ensure it does not affect front-line health staff? Several months ago, there was much debate about raising the qualification age for the State pension to 67 years. With this early retirement scheme, many people will end up retiring earlier than 65 years. We could also end up with agency staff being hired, a much more expensive way of providing staff. This scheme does not seem to be well thought out.

Last night, a news report showed how an ambulance service could not be provided at one hospital because of the public service recruitment embargo. This impacted on the hospital's ability to take in cases, meaning that not just front-line staff are affected by the embargo. I am not sure there is a plan to this retirement scheme.

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