Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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520. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to recruit the 169 vacancies in emergency departments across the State; the locations in which these vacancies exist; the reason these posts are vacant despite funding being made available; and when he expects these posts to be filled. [37499/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As Emergency Department attendances continue to rise, Emergency Departments are under increasing pressure to meet this new level of demand and ensure the provision of timely safe and effective care for patients. A considerable number of patients presenting to the Emergency Departments are frail or acute patients that often require admission. However, acknowledging this, the number of nurses employed in Emergency Departments had increased from 1,231 at end 2015 to 1,500 in September 2018, representing an increase of 269 or 22%. While the vacancies extend to all Emergency Departments, albeit in small numbers, it should be noted a significant number of these vacancies are currently being filled through agency staff and overtime working arrangements.

The HSE remains committed to filling these vacant posts on a permanent basis and have undertaken a number of national and local recruitment campaigns. In addition to this the HSE is also in the process of offering all graduate nurses and midwives contracts upon registration with NMBI, the nursing regulator.