Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2025
998. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the evaluation her Department conducted prior to implementing the 2024–2025 HSE employment control measures; the projected effect of those restrictions on achieving the National Service Plan staffing targets for 2024; and whether a full impact review has been completed. [71962/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2023 the Department of Health provided funding to the HSE to recruit ~5,500 whole time equivalent staff (WTE) to Department of Health funded initiatives. This target was reached before the end of 2023 and exceeded by the end of 2023.
Because staff growth and associated pay costs are an ongoing concern, the HSE introduced several, escalating, recruitment pauses from May 2023 onward that culminated in a near total pause in the recruitment of staff to Department of Health funded initiatives in November 2023.
The recruitment pauses were reversed in July 2024, when a tripartite agreement on an approach to pay and numbers growth was reached between the Department of Health, the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service reform and Digitalisation.
The agreement allowed for the recruitment of 3,310 WTE to Department of Health funded initiatives in 2024 – an increase of 1,042 WTE over the 2,268 WTE originally provided for in the HSE’s 2024 National Service Plan. In addition, the agreement provided for the controlled and sustainable growth in WTE through the imposition of clear pay and recruitment limits.
Under the agreement there are no restrictions on recruitment other than the obligation to stay within WTE and pay funding limits. However, the effectiveness of these limits to control WTE and pay costs while delivering necessary services remains a subject of constant scrutiny.
