Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy. The fear of any Minister for Health, including myself or any successive Minister for Health, and the collective concern of this Oireachtas should be that at any moment in time people will decide that the pandemic has passed when it has not. We have to try to get back to living alongside it in a safe way for the sake of the economy and all those important things but we will be in a health emergency for the foreseeable future. We all have to start thinking like that, whatever our political traditions or persuasions or whatever side of the House we sit on. This will require a new way of doing things and it will cost money. It will not just cost money, however, it will also require us to do things differently and in fairness, our staff have been up for that and they have shown that willingness in so many ways. I agree with the Deputy in that regard.

On the issue of Be On Call for Ireland, I also heard that story about a nurse. I read about it on my social media feed and I have asked for a report specifically linked to that. I am not in any doubt about the story but I was not happy to hear about it so I want to find out what went on there and I will revert to the Deputy on that directly. I will also provide the Deputy with the information he sought that I do not have to hand but I have information to hand to the effect that 1,976 people have been successful in interviews for Be On Call for Ireland. Some 124 of those have been placed and 1,203 are in clearance. Those figures are as of 29 May so that is about 1,300 so far and in addition to that we have hired 1,082 student nurses and midwives. It is important to remember that we offered those student nurses and midwives employment as well. We have hired 80 medical scientists and there have been 98 rehired retirees. Some 926 newly graduated doctors have been hired in addition to 1,412 posts that have been filled through the HSE national recruitment service. Those are some of the figures but I will try to provide the Deputy with the county breakdown and the specific hospital breakdown he is looking for.

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