Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

By any standard the level of turnover is exceptional. For example, overall last year, 155 staff left, which represents about 24%. Almost one quarter of all staff in the Department of Health left last year. That must create instability and there must be some underlying reason for it. It is exceptional and completely out of line with previous years. Let us consider who those people were. Two assistant secretaries, two deputy secretaries, 17 principal officers and 49 assistant principal officers left. They were all senior staff. Why are they leaving? There must be a reason for this. Serious problems must be left behind with that level of turnover of senior staff.

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