Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide a breakdown of the number of permanent nurses who have retired in 2010 and to date in 2011; and the number of agency nurses employed during the same period. [12732/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive has advised my Department that the number of nurses who retired in 2010 is 985. A further 95 nurses retired in the first quarter of 2011. These figures are based on the latest reconciled HSE National Pensions Management Retirement Benefits payments information for 2010 and quarter one of 2011. The Executive has further advised that there may still be a small number of 2010 nursing retirement benefits yet to be finalised and notified to the National Pensions Management Unit for payment.

In relation to the number of agency nurses employed during the same period, the Executive has advised that, prior to the introduction of a new agency contract in March 2011, its annual usage of agency nurses was approximately 1000 whole-time equivalents.