Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The issue raised by the Deputy was the subject of intensive conciliation at the Labour Relations Commission during the summer between the nurses' representative body, the INMO, and the HSE, given that nurses who were due to graduate would have had difficulty in obtaining posts in their preferred locations. Conciliation meetings were held on 6 and 30 June and on 22 July. The conciliation conference held on 22 July resulted in significant progress between the INMO and the HSE. Related settlement proposals were drawn up by the commission and issued to the parties on 23 July.

The settlement proposals recognise that the situation is problematic, given that the HSE has more public health nurse vacancies in the greater Dublin region than there are nurses in the 2013-14 class who wish to or are able to work in that region. The situation is further complicated by the fact that a national recruitment panel is in place since 2011 which is composed of public health nurses who are already working in Dublin and who wish to transfer to provincial locations, including the west. In 2013 a similar issue arose prior to the graduation of the 2012-13 class. The parties accepted that this class would take priority over the existing panel for nationwide vacancies. Most of that class have been accommodated in locations that suit them and the current proposals provide for the remainder being accommodated up to the end of 2014. The proposals also provide a structure for the assignment of the 2013-14 class to posts in Dublin in the first instance and for the existing national panel to be prioritised for posts becoming vacant outside of Dublin.

A significant proportion of new posts in recent years have been in the Dublin region and other urban locations, and this is likely to continue given service demands and population trends. As a consequence, the HSE is advising applicants that the 2014-15 class will be recruited on a basis that recognises the shift in demand for public health nurses when it comes to job opportunities. This information is being made available to each candidate at the start of the campaign.

See this speech in context