Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, a temporary pause in recruitment has been introduced across managerial and administration grades in the HSE and Section 38 organisations. To begin, I would like to acknowledge the important work carried out by all managerial and administration staff across the health service. Their roles are of significant importance in the running of our services. This recruitment pause has been initiated for very good reason. The HSE is substantially ahead of targeted growth rates in relation to Management and Admin staff this year. If this level of growth were to continue uncontrolled, this category of staff would be significantly over the targeted and budgeted recruitment figure by year end which will have financial implications for 2023 and following years, and adversely impact on the HSE’s ability to recruit in the future.

The temporary recruitment pause of Management and Admin staff was discussed under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in late August/early September. The parties, which included the HSE, the Department of Health, and Fórsa, agreed to several principles surrounding the recruitment of Management and Admin grades across the HSE and Section 38 organisations. Since this agreement at the WRC, the HSE and Fórsa have continued to engage locally in relation to principals surrounding the recruitment of this category of staff.

I want to assure the Deputy that this recruitment pause should have no direct impact on patients, and there is a process in place to allow for the continued recruitment of any roles deemed critical to service delivery.