Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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143. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to tackle the difficulty in recruitment in the public sector in view of his commitment to recruit 1,224 nurses in 2017 and his allocation of funds for 1,800 front line staff in the health service in 2018 and the recent report that there has only been a net increase of 13 nurses up to August 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47143/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The need to increase the numbers of consultants, doctors, nurses and midwives in the public health service is a priority for this Government despite a backdrop of global shortages in health professionals. The Government has allocated an additional €646 million in current expenditure to Health in Budget 2018, including funds for an additional 1,800 front line staff. The overall Health budget for 2018 is almost €15.3 billion. The HSE is currently finalising the 2018 Service Plan and will allocate the additional posts in accordance with service demands.

The HSE has been focused on increasing the number of frontline staff over the past three years as the budgetary position has improved and progress has been made in growing the consultant, NCHD and nursing workforce. While there are difficulties in filling posts in certain specialties, including psychiatry, the number of consultants employed in the public health system continues to increase year on year. At the end of September 2017 there were 2,951 whole time equivalent consultants in the public health services. This is 126 more than the end September 2016 figure and an increase of 666 in the past decade. The number of NCHDs has also increased significantly. At the end of September 2017 there were 6,286 whole time equivalent NCHDs, an increase of 311 compared with the end of September 2016 number and an increase of over 1,394 in the past decade.

Recruitment of nurses and midwives is a key priority this year. Nursing and midwifery numbers at the end of September 2017 stood at 36,170 whole time equivalents. The number of nursing posts has increased by 632 in the 12 months from end September 2016 and by over 2,000 in the four years from end September 2013 to end September 2017. The Nursing Recruitment and Retention Agreement concluded with the INMO and SIPTU Nursing earlier this year committed to increasing the number of nurses and midwives by 1,224 additional permanent posts in 2017. The recent quarterly progress report on the Agreement from the HSE (30th Sept 2017) states that the HSE has filled 20% of the target posts. The HSE is currently concluding the process of offering all graduating nurses and midwives permanent contracts. This is expected to deliver a significant increase in staff nurse numbers between now and year-end, given that most students who complete their training at the end of August are recruited in the 4^thquarter, following registration.

The Report of the Public Service Pay Commission identified problems in recruitment and retention in specific and specialist groups that are internationally in demand particularly in the health sector Following the ratification of the Public Service Stability Agreement, the Commission will now carry out a more comprehensive examination of underlying difficulties in recruitment and retention in those sectors and employment streams where difficulties are clearly evident, including psychiatry. The Commission is committed to reporting on medical and nursing grades in 2018. The outcome of its assessment will be subject to discussions between the relevant parties.