Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I, too, convey my sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives yesterday in Baltimore. These incidents occur during the summer months in particular when all of us need to be careful. Incidents occur which we do not expect, and this is one of those tragedies. We should encourage people to be mindful in those circumstances. We cannot control everything that happens to us but this is one of those incidents in which a tragedy has occurred.

I agree with Senator Darragh O'Brien's comments about the lack of long-term planning in the health service. Last October, I sought details of all the consultant vacancies in the Health Service Executive, HSE, and I was told that information could not be provided to me. At the time I suggested it might give me the name of a porter in each hospital whom I could ring for the information. It took a further six months before I got the information that 325 consultant posts were either vacant or occupied by locums.

Another issue that I raised at the time I got that information was the number who will retire over the next 12 months so that we can start doing long-term planning. There seems to be a policy within the HSE to wait for the vacancy to arise before it advertises for the post to be filled. Ten or 15 years ago there was a far more effective system in place in that long-term planning was done. Up to two years before a consultant retired the vacancy was advertised. If an appointment is confirmed today, it takes anything up to 12 months before a person is able to take up the appointment because he or she cannot walk out of their job. Whether they are in Canada, Australia or the United Kingdom, they have to give notice to their current employers but that does not seem to have been taken on board by the HSE. I agree with Senator O'Brien about the lack of planning in this area. It is an issue I have highlighted in the health committee, and it appears to be going unnoticed. It is an issue that needs to be brought to the attention of the Minister, and the Minister should take it up with the HSE because it is a crucial area. There are 300 positions vacant. At least another 100 will become vacant over the next 12 months, and no long-term planning is being done. That is a major issue that must be tackled immediately.