Dublin – Deputy Prime Minister Micheál Martin has dismissed concerns raised by health workers, organizations, and the opposition regarding Ireland’s current recruitment ban. Addressing Parliament, Martin emphasized the significant presence of foreign nurses, noting that Ireland ranks second in Europe for the number of foreign nurses.
Sinn Féin spokesman Piers Doherty criticized the recruitment freeze, stating that candidates were being turned away despite attending interviews. He highlighted an INMO survey where 70 percent of nurses expressed fears over patient safety due to staff shortages, with many considering leaving their jobs.
Martin, however, refuted these claims, asserting that there is no health crisis. He acknowledged a temporary recruitment halt but noted Ireland’s high recruitment rate, with 3,068 new hires since May 2023 and 28,500 more staff than in 2020. He mentioned an additional €7.5 billion allocated to the health service over the past four years, bolstering the workforce with 4,200 healthcare professionals and over 3,000 doctors and dentists.
Martin also pointed out that health spending exceeded the budget by €500 million in the first four months of this year, with 75 percent of this excess occurring in the acute hospital sector.