Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I, too, agree with my colleague Senator McFadden on the need to deal with the pay issue in the Defence Forces. In fairness to Defence Forces personnel, they have served the country well, both at home and overseas. It is appropriate that we respond accordingly to recognise the work they do. Many allowances were cut during the years and need to be restored.

It is interesting to compare the situation in the Health Service Executive. I know that my Sinn Féin colleague raised the issue of public sector pay. The figures for the HSE show that from December 2014 to March 2019, a period of four years and three months, the number working in it has increased by 15,954, or by just 44 people short of 16,000. That represents a significant increase of 15.46%. The number of whole-time equivalents is now 118,984, but the interesting point is that the number of managerial and administrative staff increased by 24% in the same period of four years and three months, or 3,639. That is a phenomenal increase in the public sector environment. We need to put more money into public services, but there has been a disproportionate increase in the number of managerial and administrative staff. My Sinn Féin colleague has constantly spoken about the need for more nurses, but I do not understand why that occurs. Yesterday when the chairman of the new board of the HSE appeared before the Joint Committee on Health, I raised the issue of the disproportionate increase in the number of administrative and managerial staff. One would not see it happen in the private sector. Also in the HSE the number of nurse managers increased by 1,100, from 6,500 to 7,600, in the same period. In the HSE one in every four staff is in an administrative-managerial role. One could not afford to have that structure in the private sector. I have serious concerns about the priority given in the employment of staff in the HSE. Yes, the HSE has employed more nurses, consultants, junior doctors and care assistants, but the number of nurses recruited could be doubled, if the number of managerial and administrative staff was not increased to the same degree. I do not accept that they are providing more back-up support for front-line staff. I would like to have the issue debated in the House. This is taxpayer's money. I have worked out that it is costing an extra €650 million a year and it is not a one off payment. It represents nearly 50% of the cost of the natinal children's hospital in 12 months.