Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact Limerick Maternity Hospital is recruiting new graduates and bypassing nurses and midwives already on the Health Service Executive panel and the actions that he intends to take to address same. [1823/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The health services are facing very significant budgetary challenges. Given the proportion of expenditure that goes on pay, strict control of pay budgets and staff numbers is essential. The Graduate Employment Initiative will support the retention of recently qualified graduate nurses and midwives within the Irish health system and enable them to gain valuable work experience and development opportunities post-graduation. The Initiative will also facilitate a reduction in expenditure on nurse agency staffing and overtime.

The HSE may continue to recruit nurses and midwives from existing panels in exceptional circumstances where it has been established that there is an urgent service requirement and this can be accommodated within the budgetary and staff number limits in place. Such recruitment is separate to and independent of the Graduate Employment Initiative.