UHL recruitment freeze
Richard O'Donoghue raised a reported recruitment freeze at University Hospital Limerick affecting two Irish health workers returning from Australia. The Health Minister asked for the details, said recruitment was ongoing, and said she would look into the matter.
We are out of time but I propose to take Deputy Richard O'Donoghue, who has one minute for a question and a response.
Comment on this
I wish Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett well in his treatment. Please God everything goes well for him.
This question is for the Minister of Health and relates to the freeze on UHL. Two Limerick people are coming home from Australia. One is a physiotherapist and the other is an ICU nurse. The ICU nurse had been told they had a position in the hospital but they received a letter to say it was sorry that there is a freeze on taking on staff in UHL. These are two Irish people who want to return home and join the health service, which I would welcome. If the Minister could intervene, that would be welcome. This person was offered a job in UHL but is now being told they cannot have it.
Comment on this
I would appreciate it if the Deputy would give me the details of that. We are constantly recruiting in the health service. We have another 6,250 people to recruit just this year and that is after retirements. It is very much against the grain to hear this in Dáil Éireann, considering how much we have invested and how much we continue to invest. Could the Deputy give me the details? I will be happy to look into it. I note UHL's continued good progress on its trolley numbers. Getting to amber this weekend was a new statement for UHL and I hope that continues.