Gabrielle McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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379. To ask the Minister for Health his views on delays in processing applications for nursing positions of whatever scale and grade and that this is an urgent matter in view of the current nurse shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3640/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There are nearly 35,000 nurses currently employed in our health service. Each year approximately 1,500 nurses complete the nursing degree programme. This is the number seen as necessary to maintain nursing numbers at the level required to support service delivery.

There was a requirement to reduce public service numbers and maximise savings in the public service from the time of the downturn in the economy. The embargo on recruitment introduced by the HSE in 2007, followed by the moratorium on recruitment resulted in a fall of about 4,500 in nursing numbers between 2007 and the middle of 2013. Nursing numbers have increased by nearly 500 in the past 12 months. This increase can be attributed to the very positive initiatives undertaken by the HSE to reduce reliance on agency and to offer contracts of employment where agency can be replaced by full time posts. It is noteworthy that the number of nurses who have made requests for verification to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland – a requirement if they intend leaving the country - fell by 400 in 2014, meaning that this additional number wish to remain in Ireland.

The HSE has the capacity to recruit where it is necessary to deliver front-line services. This is reflected in the current recruitment campaign where the HSE is actively recruiting to fill 1,600 approved nursing posts. These are across all grades and all divisions of the register spanning acute hospitals, community, ID and mental health.

Many of these posts are currently being filled on a temporary or an acting basis. Following a high profile online campaign at the end of 2014 the HSE is currently processing 3,700 applications for nurses (all divisions of the register across all areas) to meet current needs. These applicants will be interviewed and their applications processed over the next number of weeks.

However, there will always be certain posts that are difficult to attract suitably qualified candidates to and individual strategies are developed for these in conjunction with the line managers. Where front-line staffing shortages exist, the HSE makes alternative arrangements to ensure continued service provision, including recourse to agency cover. However, it is preferable that sufficient numbers of nurses are recruited to permanent posts to support the most efficient and effective delivery of services.