Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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473. To ask the Minister for Health the way the lifting of the moratorium on recruitment in the public sector will affect front-line hospital staff; the impact he envisages this measure will have on staffing levels within Irish hospitals, the way the ending of the moratorium will affect nurses' staffing levels within the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4842/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in budget 2014 that he intends to delegate greater autonomy to Departments and Agencies to manage their own staffing levels. The change from the application of a rigid employment control framework, with its particular focus on a moratorium on recruitment and compliance with employment ceilings and targets, to one operating strictly within allocated pay frameworks will allow for recruitment where it is determined that this can achieve more economical service delivery. It will also allow continuation of the policy of recruiting front line staff where necessary to ensure service delivery.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has advised that the HSE and Department of Health will be required to submit a 2015 Pay and Numbers Strategy. Following approval of the strategy by DPER, a letter of delegated sanction for staffing will be issued. Pending this sanction, the existing moratorium and ECF arrangements will continue to apply.

The number of nurses employed has 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. 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.

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.

Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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474. To ask the Minister for Health the way the lifting of the moratorium on recruitment in the public sector will affect hospital staff numbers in County Galway; the plans by Saolta University Healthcare Group to replace agency staff with full-time permanent positions due to the lifting of the moratorium; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of full-time positions that have been provided thus far; the number it plans to provide in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4843/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in budget 2014 that he intends to delegate greater autonomy to Departments and Agencies to manage their own staffing levels. The change from the application of a rigid employment control framework, with its particular focus on a moratorium on recruitment and compliance with employment ceilings and targets, to one operating strictly within allocated pay frameworks will allow for recruitment across all hospital groups, including Saolta, where it is determined that this can achieve more economical service delivery.

The Department for Public Expenditure and Reform has advised that the HSE and Department of Health will be required to submit a 2015 Pay and Numbers Strategy. Following approval of the strategy by DPER, a letter of delegated sanction for staffing will be issued. Pending this sanction, the existing moratorium and ECF arrangements will continue to apply.

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the aspect of the question that relates specifically to Co Galway and the Saolta University Healthcare Group. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.