Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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127. To ask the Minister for Health when nurses on temporary contracts in the HSE will be given permanent contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33475/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Nurses, and other healthcare professionals, are engaged by the HSE on various contracts. These include permanent, temporary, full-time and part-time contracts. Both the needs of the service and the wishes of the employee are considered when determining the type of contract. Some nurses will wish to accept and keep a temporary contract, depending on their current circumstances. The change from a temporary contract to a permanent contract is not an automatic one.

When applying for a role advertised, it will be noted the type of contract that is on offer. If an employee reaches the end of their temporary contract, they are welcomed to discuss moving to a permanent contract with their human resources team, and this will be considered on a case by case basis, given the needs of the service.

With regards to nurses hired in response to COVID-19, many of these roles are by their very nature temporary. In Budget 2021, I announced the provision of funding for an increase of approximately 15,738 whole-time equivalents, which provides for the retention of posts permanently in 2021. This will allow nurses and all other healthcare professionals currently retained on temporary contracts to apply for permanent positions, if they wish.