Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. Covid-19 has greatly increased pressures on the health service and staff have shown incredible strength and care in their duties. Several initiatives were undertaken to staff the necessary expansion of the workforce and these have facilitated an expansion of 4,292 whole-time equivalents from the end of February to the end of September of this year.

While this increase was necessary to deal with the pandemic immediately, a larger and more permanent expansion of the workforce is necessary and is under way. This expansion will support the resilience of the services but also ensure our healthcare system is resourced to meet the longer-term healthcare needs of the population.

Shortages exist across disciplines, including at consultant, nursing, midwifery and allied health professional levels.

Budget 2021 has provided funding for up to 15,738 additional posts in the HSE, above what was funded for 2020. That is inclusive of the posts identified in the winter plan. The funding will provide for a permanent increase in the size of the public health workforce, with a focus on front-line staff. The Government is committed to the ongoing roll-out of the framework on safe staffing and skill mix for nursing by the HSE in hospitals and has committed to further funding for the initiative in 2021. Specific increases in supports for general practitioners in rural practices and practices in urban areas of deprivation will help make general practice more sustainable and a more attractive career option for doctors.

This level of recruitment is ambitious, as Deputy Kelly pointed out to me previously in the Chamber, and there will be challenges faced by the HSE. Irish graduates are attractive in the global market. They are very well trained and highly sought after. The HSE is working to develop a recruitment plan that will ensure the Irish public health service is recognised as one of the places in which people wish to work. However, there are always challenges in recruitment. I am committed to supporting the HSE to find solutions to these challenges and to ensure our health service is adequately staffed to manage the pressures we will face in the coming months and years.

See this speech in context