Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
Question:399. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Health the amount the HSE spends on agency staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18216/25]
View answerThursday, 10 April 2025
Questions (399)
Written answers
The Deputy will be aware that, as stated in the Programme for Government, we are committed to recruit additional doctors, nurses, dentists, and health and social care professionals, and reduce reliance on contract and agency workers.
The HSE's spend on Agency for Department of Health funded activities for the periods January-December 2023, January-December 2024 and the most recent period for which data are available, namely January-February 2025, is set out below:
|
€000 |
Jan-Dec 2023 |
Jan-Dec 2024 |
Jan-Feb 2025 |
|
Actual |
682,562 |
734,192 |
128,773 |
As noted in the Work Relation Commission's statement following the recent engagement with staff representative bodies, my Department and the HSE are committed to direct employment rather than the use of Agency services where possible. To that end the HSE has committed, within Whole Time Equivalent limits, to the following:
• to undertake an analysis of promotional posts currently filled by Agency staff and where appropriate will fill identified posts through direct employment.
• to prioritise Agency staff who have been in an entry level post for one year or more for employment in the HSE.
• to seek a further Agency conversion programme through the Estimates process for 2026.
Separately the Productivity and Savings Taskforce Action Plan 2025 includes amongst its actions a commitment to identifying and implementing specific measures to deliver Agency pay savings.
It is expected that the successful adoption of these commitments will lead to both cost savings and improved quality of services across the health sector.