Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health the reasons for the delay in recruiting additional front-line primary care staff; when he expects all such staff to be recruited; and the way in which he intends to re-allocate the savings of approximately €5 million to date arising from the delayed recruitment of these primary care posts. [17027/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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On 27 March last, I conveyed approval to the HSE to recruit the following posts for Primary Care Teams: 70 Public Health Nurses; 37 Registered General Nurses; 51 Occupational Therapists; 46 Physiotherapists; and 47 Speech & Language Therapists.

It is my firm intention to have these posts filled as soon as possible. Arrangements are now being made within the HSE to coordinate the necessary documentation for submission to its National Recruitment Service (NRS) to proceed with the filling of the posts. The NRS has confirmed that panels are in place for the above grades and they will be in a position to proceed to offer the posts once all the necessary documentation is received. The expectation is that appointments will be made as soon as possible thereafter. Any savings which arise as as result of delays in recruiting the above staff will be used to offset expenditure pressures within the primary care area which may arise during this year.