Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator McFadden for raising this issue and for giving me an opportunity to clarify the position in respect of the operation of the moratorium in the health services. To implement savings measures in terms of public service numbers, the Government decided that, with effect from 27 March 2009 to the end of 2010, no post in the public sector, however arising, may be filled by recruitment, promotion or payment of an allowance for the performance of duties at a higher grade. The decision applies to all grades of permanent and temporary staff, including nurses, notwithstanding a number of specific exemptions, some of which I will highlight.

Employment control frameworks have been used for a number of years in the health sector to give effect to Government policies on the numbers employed therein. The 2009 framework gave effect to the Government decision on the moratorium on recruitment, promotion or payment of an allowance for the performance of duties at a higher grade. A HSE circular issued to give effect to the Government decision in the public health services and other specific aspects of the employment control framework for those services.

The Government's decision was modulated to ensure key services were maintained in so far as possible in the health services, especially in respect of children at risk, older people and persons with a disability. The 2009 framework specifically exempted a number of front-line grades in the health sector from the moratorium. The focus on these key grades was in line with existing Government policy on the prioritisation of certain development areas for which significant funding had already been provided. The overall result was to assist in the re-orientation of health employment to services delivered in primary and community care. This would mean re-organising and restructuring work to minimise the impact on essential service delivery.

The redeployment and reassignment of staff will be an essential part of this process. The draft agreement reached in recent days between public sector unions and management will play an important role in this regard. The draft agreement provides for greater flexibility, an extended working day and redeployment of health sector staff. This will have a positive impact on the provision of health services and will allow for the transformation agenda to continue.

The 2009 employment control framework also provided for a process whereby a limited number of exceptions to the moratorium were approved by the Department of Health and Children with the consent of the Department of Finance. The exceptions approved included a number of nursing posts, for example, 23 mental health nurse posts at the Central Mental Hospital and 36 mental health nurse posts at St. Loman's Hospital, Lucan. These exceptions were approved on the basis of the two hospitals making better use of their staffing resources, leading to overall efficiencies in the delivery of services.

A 2010 employment control framework is being finalised between the Departments of Health and Children and Finance. Although this framework is not yet finalised, I expect that, in 2010, it will again provide the Department and the HSE with the ability to deal with critical exceptions to the moratorium as long as the overall reduction in health employment numbers, as agreed by the Government, are met.