Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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247. To ask the Minister for Health why the Health Service Executive has reintroduced a freeze on recruitment of front-line staff; if he will consider points raised in corresponsdence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17809/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Arising from Budget 2015, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced an easing of restrictions on the employment of additional staff. The overriding principle now is one of affordability and compliance with allocated pay budgets which managers must forecast and monitor over the course of each year with the completion of a Pay and Numbers Strategy.

Recent measures taken in relation to service areas in the HSE remaining within budget have been portrayed, incorrectly, as a recruitment freeze. The HSE is currently working with the Department of Health on the finalisation of its 2016 Pay and Numbers Strategy. This has involved the development of detailed workforce plans at hospital and community service level.

These measures do not impact on a hospital’s ability to recruit where funding exists to facilitate that recruitment; for example in the case of funded replacement posts or where additional funding has been allocated for new positions under the HSE service plan. Recruitment can also take place in areas of critical care and emergency services.

The HSE has continuously increased staffing levels since the beginning of 2015. By the end of April this year, overall health service employee numbers had increased by over 6,000 whole time equivalents since the start of last year, with an extra 1,600 WTEs in the first four months of 2016 alone. The vast majority of these employees are in front line positions. Numbers in the Medical and Dental category increased by almost 600 WTEs or 6.5% since the start of 2015 while nursing figures rose by over 1,700 or 5% during the same timeframe.

It is this government’s intention to continue to grow the health budget as the economy improves and to obtain further resources to deliver the level of service that we all want to provide to our patients.