Barry Ward
Question:255. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of staff employed in a hospital (details supplied), by role, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3911/25]
View answerHospital Staff
Questions (255)
Written answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
Hospital Services
Questions (256)
Barry Ward
Question:256. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the average daily patient intake in a hospital (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3912/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Services
Questions (257)
Barry Ward
Question:257. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of beds in a hospital (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3915/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Services
Questions (258)
Barry Ward
Question:258. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the patient capacity levels in a hospital (details supplied); the number of times this was exceeded in January 2025, by patient levels, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3920/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (259)
Barry Ward
Question:259. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of staff hired at a hospital in the last three years (details supplied), by role, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3923/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Ambulance Service
Questions (260, 261, 262)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:260. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the total number of on-the-road/operational staff working on emergency ambulances and intermediate care vehicles across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3926/25]
View answerRichard Boyd Barrett
Question:261. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the number of advanced paramedics rostered to provide advanced life support on the road/operational across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3927/25]
View answerRichard Boyd Barrett
Question:262. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount currently spent on private ambulances annually by the HSE and the National Ambulance Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3928/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 to 262, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy is aware, whilst the National Ambulance Service (NAS) is the statutory prehospital emergency and intermediate care provider for the state, in the Dublin area the primary ambulance provider is Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB). Some ambulance services in the capital are also provided by the NAS, not exclusively, but primarily in areas outside of Dublin City.
Given that DFB falls under the aegis of Dublin City Council, queries relating to DFB, including that of its resourcing, are in the first instance a matter for my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
In regard to the Deputy's specific questions pertaining to the NAS, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Question No. 261 answered with Question No. 260.
Question No. 262 answered with Question No. 260.
Industrial Disputes
Questions (263)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:263. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked 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]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Industrial Disputes
Questions (264)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:264. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked 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]
View answerWritten answers
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.