Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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583. To ask the Minister for Health the policies or measures in place to ensure the retention of staff in hospitals here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26605/16]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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584. To ask the Minister for Health if he will offer further education opportunities or rent assistance as part of any policies to entice overseas hospital staff to work in hospitals here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26606/16]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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585. To ask the Minister for Health the measure or plans being used to replace agency nursing staff in hospitals here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26607/16]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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612. To ask the Minister for Health the measures in place to ensure that staffing levels with regard to the provision of key front-line health services and patient care are given priority as part of all HSE recruitment campaigns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26682/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 583 to 585, inclusive, and 612 together.

The HSE now has delegated sanction to recruit nurses, doctors and other frontline staff in line with service demands (subject to budgetary requirements). Overall staffing levels have increased significantly in the public health services, by 4,000 in the past 12 months and by nearly 5,000 in the past 3 years. The number of consultants employed by the HSE at the end of July 2016 was 2,786. This constitutes an increase of 99 WTE’s (3.7%) over the July 2015 figure and an increase of almost 600 on the June 2007 figures of 2,189. NCHD numbers have increased by almost 1,000 in the past three years. There has also been an increase of 1,250 nurses employed in the public health service (34,461 to 35,712) from July 2014 to July 2016.

However, there is an international nursing and medical manpower shortage, leading to difficulties in recruiting nurses, doctors and consultants. This difficulty is being experienced by other English speaking countries including the UK, Australia, and Canada and means there is a competitive international market for health workers. It is important therefore that the terms and conditions of employment of Irish medical professionals are as attractive as possible.

The ability of the HSE and the health service to attract and retain high quality frontline staff shapes the extent to which the HSE can maintain and develop the range of health services required. The MacCraith Group, established in 2013 to carry out a strategic review of medical training and career structures, made a series of recommendations aimed at improving the retention of medical graduates in the public health system and planning for future needs. The implementation of the Group's recommendations is being actively pursued and monitored.

The HSE is focused on offering graduating nurses and midwives permanent posts and on replacing agency staff with permanent staff. Recruitment of additional nurses is the subject of considerable ongoing activity by the HSE and voluntary hospitals. Recruitment campaigns are underway in Ireland and abroad with a relocation package of up to €1,500 available to nurses who return from overseas.. This includes recent and ongoing international, national and local interviewing of General Nurses, Mental Health, Intellectual Disability, Registered Children's Nurses and Midwives.