Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Renua Ireland)
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473. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the recruitment of nurses at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33989/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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With a recovering economy, the Health Service Executive is now in a position to offer a wide range of challenging career opportunities for nurses and midwives. There are many initiatives currently underway to improve nursing staff levels throughout the country. These include the retention of 2015 degree programme graduates, offering full time permanent contracts, and an international recruitment campaign. In addition the conversion of agency usage to permanent staffing in line with agreed processes is a key objective of the National Service Plan 2015.

In July, the HSE launched an International Staff Nurse Recruitment Campaign which focused on the UK to attract Staff Nurses to jobs in Ireland. In this campaign, there was a particular emphasis on targeting Irish Nurses who have left Ireland in recent years and want to return home. It is envisaged that the HSE will expand this recruitment initiative outside the UK and Europe in order to fill service vacancies. The Irish Health Service has an excellent reputation for providing quality nursing care and is ideally suited to the development of a rewarding and respected career in nursing.

With regard specifically to nursing posts in Beaumont Hospital, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. 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.