Agency workers cost more than HSE staff

Millions of euro are being spent on hiring agency nurses who would prefer to be employed by the HSE and who would cost the State less, it has been claimed.

Figures released by the HSE show almost €41m has been paid out to agencies for general and mental health nurses in the first five months of this year.

The HSE figures released to Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae also show it costs the HSE more than €62 per shift more to use each agency nurse, who work side by side with a staff nurse. According to Mr Healy-Rae, it costs the State €219.59 for a HSE staff nurse to work a 12-hour shift, while the bill for an agency nurse doing the same shift costs €273.27.