Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

263. To ask the Minister for Health if, in light of the fact that section 39 workers are now balloting for industrial action, she will mandate her officials to allow them to fully implement the WRC agreement of October 2023, to provide for the resolution of outstanding issues on pay; if it is her intention to fully restore the link between section 39 workers and the public sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3931/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is very disappointing that SIPTU have taken the decision to ballot their members for industrial action.

The Government recognises the essential work carried out by staff in community and voluntary health and social care organisations, and their contribution to delivery of essential publicly funded supports and services to many citizens. This is why we are committed to achieving a positive outcome in discussions with the relevant unions in the Workplace Relations Commission.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

264. To ask the Minister for Health if, in light of the overwhelming votes by multiple grades of workers in the health service for industrial action over the issue of the pay and numbers strategy, it is her intention to scrap this strategy and instead base recruitment and staffing levels on ensuring patient safety and patient need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3932/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This Government is committed to ensuring adequate and safe staffing across our health service, ensuring that the workforce keeps pace with population and demographic changes.

As of December 2024, there were 126,740 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) staff working in Department of Health funded health services, an increase of 25% over 2020 numbers.

As the Deputy is aware, the HSE Pay and Numbers Strategy (PNS) is an annual publication derived from the HSE's Budget and National Service Plan that sets out the numbers and allocation of staff that the HSE has approval and funding for in any given year. The 2025 PNS is currently under review and will be formally approved in the coming weeks.

The 2025 PNS will raise the WTE ceiling for D/Health funded services to 133,306 which equates to a further 3,554 WTE for additional New Development initiatives in 2025.

This growth in WTE will support the HSE's commitment to attracting and retaining skilled staff which is essential to providing high-quality health and social care such as:

• The roll out of surgical hubs in Dublin, Galway, Waterford, Cork and Limerick
• The expansion of Community and Acute bed capacity with the planned addition of more than 1,300 WTE.
• Further expansion of Cancer Services with the addition of 157 WTE as part of the 2025 New Developments
• The provision of 210 WTE in 2025 New Developments for additional Mental Health services.