The Health Minister has said he hopes 854 new nursing positions announced today can be filled by the end of the year.
Stephen Donnelly today announced €25m in funding for the new posts in hospital around the country.
He said filling the new positions would ensure that every acute hospital in the country would be in compliance with the national safe nursing framework, which aims to ensure all hospitals have enough nurses to provide safe and quality care to patients.
It comes as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation warned that the rollout of the framework has been “far too slow” and said it has “grave concerns” about whether the new positions will be delivered.
Just yesterday, the organisation warned that the number of admitted patients waiting for a bed in Irish hospitals was “out of control” – with 712 patients stuck waiting in emergency departments and wards.
Speaking on his way into Cabinet this morning, Minister Donnelly said he hoped to see them filled by the end of the year.
He said there are already 6,200 more nurses in Ireland than there was pre-pandemic – something he claimed would make it easier for hospitals to continue hiring.
