Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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402. To ask the Minister for Health further to Question No. 398 of 26 September 2017, the reason his Department rejected the application from Letterkenny University Hospital for two advanced nurse practitioners with a role in respect of transition services to adult clinics and a second advanced nurse practitioner in adult services who would also develop a speciality in pump therapy for adults, as agreed in the meeting referred to; and if his attention has been drawn to the implications of delaying these appointments until 2018. [41600/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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On 28 June, I met with the Donegal Branch of Diabetes Ireland, the HSE and the Saolta Healthcare Group to discuss the current challenges and future development of diabetes services in the Northwest. Following that meeting, officials of my Department requested the HSE to assess the scope to progress a number of action points in relation to the provision of services for paediatric and adult diabetes in County Donegal, including the progression of two Advanced Nurse Practitioners posts for Letterkenny University Hospital. I appreciate that some actions will be dependent on funding and will need to be considered once the Budget and National Service Plan for 2018 are finalised.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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403. To ask the Minister for Health the number of nursing positions in Beaumont Hospital that will be offered to upcoming graduates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41606/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that all 2017 nursing and midwifery graduates will be offered permanent contracts by the HSE. These offers will be subject to the usual recruitment requirements. Nursing and midwifery recruitment and retention is a priority for the Government and officials in my Department are liaising with the HSE on a weekly basis to review progress on the appointment of nursing graduates.

These contracts are being offered as part of the 2017 Nursing and Midwifery Agreement, reached with the INMO and SIPTU. This Agreement has a particular focus on addressing recruitment and retention of nursing and midwifery posts. It has committed to put in place an additional 1,224 nursing and midwifery posts across the public health service by the end of December 2017. Very extensive and detailed work has been sustained throughout 2017 to implement the Agreement.

Each Hospital or Community Healthcare Organisation is making offers to the 2017 nursing and midwifery graduates who undertake their clinical placement in their location. Every effort is being made to accommodate the graduate nurses and midwives in their preferred locations. Where a Hospital or CHO area is unable to offer places to all graduates, then the remaining graduates are offered places in the respective Hospital Group or an alternative CHO location, as appropriate.

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly with the specific data sought in the question.