The programme for Government commits to introducing measures to ensure the more efficient and timely recruitment of nurses. However, the HSE continues to pay hundreds of millions of euro in employing temporary agency staff. Last year saw the largest increase in spending on agency staff since 2014, up €26 million to a staggering €318 million. Since 2011, when Fine Gael took office, the Government has spent almost €2 billion on temporary staff to fill gaps in staffing because it has continuously failed to address the recruitment and retention crisis. Agency staff were originally intended to plug temporary and short-term gaps in rostering, but the figures prove that, far from being temporary, there is now a reliance on agency staff in the health service. Some hospitals' dependency on agency staff is significant. There is a figure of €9 million at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; €10 million at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise; and €11 million at University Hospital Limerick.

The Deputy's time is up.

The Minister cannot plead ignorance or shirk blame. What plan is in place to end this misuse of taxpayers' money?

I do not agree that it is a misuse of taxpayers' money. The amount spent last year by the public health service on agency staff was €300 million. It is a lot of money, but it represents 4% of payroll in the health service.

What is another €300 million?

Agency staff are often used to cover for staff on sick leave and maternity leave and overtime. Often, it is our own staff who work in agencies who are working overtime. Notwithstanding the fact that there was an increase in staff numbers in the health service last year, with an extra 800 nurses and midwives being recruited, there was a 20% increase in the spend on agency staff. Therefore, this idea that there is a connection between the number of staff we have and agency staff is incorrect.