Dublin: Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has said the government is taking a constructive approach toward enabling healthcare professionals currently working in the private sector to take up roles within the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Her comments came in response to a petition submitted by I2I Ireland (Overseas Health and Home Care in Ireland), which has called for greater opportunities for overseas healthcare staff to transition into the public system.
The minister stressed that HSE recruitment is based strictly on applicants’ educational qualifications and professional experience. However, she clarified that only candidates who are legally entitled to work in Ireland can be considered for appointment. Work permits and related permissions are issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and the HSE must operate within these regulations.
MacNeill added that the HSE is committed to exploring all avenues to expand the pool of eligible candidates in order to safeguard both the quality and scope of healthcare delivery.
I2I Ireland has urged the government to:
- Add healthcare workers to the Critical Skills Occupations List
- Relax the 50:50 recruitment rule in the health sector
- Fast-track recognition of overseas qualifications equivalent to QQI Level 5 Healthcare Support
A review of the Critical Skills Occupations List is already underway. Both the Departments of Employment and Education have acknowledged that measures of this kind could help alleviate Ireland’s ongoing staffing shortages in the health sector while also offering greater job security for overseas healthcare professionals.
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