Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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57. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to introduce measures to allow mental health nurses who have taken early retirement to return to work for a period to address the shortage in qualified staff. [13721/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The HSE's Mental Health Division is experiencing significant challenges in recruiting suitably qualified nurses for the mental health services. Given this, it sought from the National Director, Human Resources, and was granted a derogation from the policy which did not allow for the rehiring of retired staff.

Following this decision some retired mental health nurses have been rehired to work reduced hours in services with critical shortages of staff. Currently these staff are paid at the first point of the staff nurse scale in accordance with general pay policy. However, retired mental health nurses who return to work through an agency are paid at a higher rate. A business case on this issue is awaited by my Department and will receive early consideration.