Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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551. To ask the Minister for Health the reason advertisements for national nursing posts in his Department were only circulated within the Health Service Executive and not advertised in the national press; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26771/14]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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552. To ask the Minister for Health the reason he has excluded persons working outside the Health Service Executive from competing for national nursing posts in his own Department when the policy emanating from his Department covers the private hospital sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26772/14]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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553. To ask the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the best candidates with the requisite qualifications are available and can be released from the Health Service Executive to fill the national nursing posts recently advertised in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26773/14]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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555. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the recently advertised posts for national nursing posts; the reason these posts have not been advertised in the national press; if he will confirm that the posts have a fixed term contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26775/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 551 to 553, inclusive, and 555 together.

My Department received approval from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in March 2014 to fill three new Deputy Chief Nursing Officer (DCNO) posts in the Department of Health by way of secondment of existing staff from the public health sector. This is to ensure that the appointment of new DCNOs in the Department of Health will not increase the overall number of people employed in the public health sector. Consequently, the posts were advertised to staff in the HSE and other Health Agencies only and not in the national press. It is proposed that the new DCNOs will transfer on existing terms and conditions from their current posts in the public health sector on a 3 year secondment basis.

I am satisfied that suitable candidates with the requisite qualifications are available in the public health sector and will be released to take up posts in my Department. I am confident that the new DCNOs will contribute positively to nursing policy covering both the public and private health sectors.