'Be on Call' pandemic campaign hires just 328 of 73,000 applicants

Be on Call scheme, launched in March 2020, asked health professionals who were abroad or no longer in the system to return at a time of national crisis. Picture: Pexels

The Be on Call for Ireland campaign launched at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic has cost more than €900,000 to employ just 328 of the 73,000 people who applied for roles.

Overall, including agency payroll costs, the scheme has racked up €7.6m in spending including recruitment, digital development and occupational health clearances.