Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I read the Minister of State's comments on the late Sean McCarthy who was a champion of people with a psychiatric illness and a fond colleague and friend of ours in this House. It is clear that there is a downgrading of services, even though there is a commitment to ring-fence a sum of €35 million. On 15 December the Minister of State said the Department had sanctioned the lifting of the moratorium to recruit 100 staff, yet the HSE has paused such recruitment. What has happened in respect of that recruitment process? Has it been paused? Has the moratorium been lifted? What is happening with regard to the recruitment of an additional 100 staff, as announced by the Minister of State on 15 December?

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