Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The question tabled by the Deputy, in written format, referred to general levels of recruitment in our public services, as opposed to the health sector in particular. I will respond to the question the Deputy asked on the floor in the context of the health sector.

We have approximately 20,000 more people working in our health service than we did before the pandemic. That figure is at odds with the narrative put forward by the Deputy regarding our inability to recruit within our health services and keep the people who are working in them. We have more people working in the health services than we have ever had. Successful recruitment is at a higher level now than it has been in recent years. More people are working in our health service than previously. One of the reasons for that has been the public sector wage agreement, which was agreed when our country was at a moment of great uncertainty. The agreement was reached due to the work of the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, and in recognition of the contribution our public servants made to our country during the pandemic and the need to give them clarity and certainty regarding where they stand. In addition, we were cognisant of the impact the rising cost of living was having on them.

As for what we are doing to deliver more homes, the Deputy knows the answer to that question, although I know in advance of our exchange that he finds the measures to be inadequate. They include the building of nearly 30,000 homes last year; a record level of commencements of new homes in December and January; the building of more social houses than at any other point since the 1970s; and a 45% increase in the rate of housing completions compared with the previous year. The Government knows we need to do more. We need to keep on building homes, and we will take all the steps we can to deliver that.

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