Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for his general response, but I wish to raise this issue because specific staff will be leaving. I am concerned about the health sector. Doctors are exempt, but nurses who take early retirement are not an exempt grade under the moratorium. Does the Department have a mechanism in place to ensure that, if an inordinate number of nurses decide to take early retirement, clerical officers cannot be redeployed to be nurses the following Monday morning? It is the same with special needs assistants and resource teachers. I note the Minister will continue to employ teachers. They are exempt and that is fair enough. Those who provide home help are not exempt and they cannot be recruited because of the moratorium. Will the Minister be able to do something if an inordinate number of gardaí wish to retire?

Will the Minister and the Irish public be victims of a voluntary scheme with no management? No company would allow a situation whereby all staff could walk out the door if they felt like it. Regarding nurses and gardaí, surely, in addition to the key posts mentioned by the Minister there is a mechanism to prevent a major crisis in front line services if an inordinate number of them volunteer for redundancy.

See this speech in context