Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy hit the nail on the head about multi-annual funding. I have secured 800 posts since I took over this role. We are currently recruiting for clinical programmes this year. Whether the money was secured in budget 2021, 2022 or 2023, that does not really matter when a child is in front of one of these clinicians.

What really matters is that money was provided for ongoing services across clinical programmes.

As regards new development funding, it takes 18 months to put a full clinical multidisciplinary team in place. As of this year, we have recruited 423 staff. Of the 800 staff, 423 are in place and there are 360 posts at various stages in the recruitment process. All of the clinical programmes will see new staff this year. It is irrelevant whether the money was secured in budget 2021, 2022 or 2023; we secured 800 posts and they are currently being recruited.

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