Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

When extra medical staff are in place, the extra outpatient clinics will have to be held and will be held. Emergency patients will continue to be seen on a case-by-case basis. The national recruitment service is actively recruiting hospital staff and consultant posts are continually being approved for filling. That is what is happening at the moment in terms of the response. The HSE has advised that 38 acute consultant posts were filled in 2014 in HSE hospitals and that 36 have been filled so far in 2015. There is a great deal of progress. Recruitment for 193 consultant posts is in progress. This is being carried out in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service. It is true that there are specialties in which there are international shortages and which have traditionally been difficult to fill. Regardless of the salary scale, some of these posts are extremely difficult to fill, but I think the Deputy will see and the House will agree that significant progress is being made. Obviously it is a matter of regret if people's appointments are postponed. The response should be quick and humane, and we should ensure, as I know the hospital will, that those clinics are held and those patients seen as soon as possible, consistent with the need to carry out the recruitment process.

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