Agency admin staff at Cork and Kerry covid centres cost HSE 66% more than direct hires

HSE auditors found that over €11m was spent on agency staff by the HSE in the two counties in 2021

The audit showed that the hourly rate for a clerical officer at the Cork Contact Tracing Centre directly employed by the HSE was €13.00 compared to €22.03 for an agency worker — creating a differential of €14,754 over a full year. File picture

The hiring of agency staff by the HSE in Cork and Kerry to fill administration posts at covid-19 centres cost up to 66% more than if someone had been hired directly to fill the same vacancy, according to an audit report.

HSE auditors also found that no competitive process was undertaken by 10 of the 11 locations in the region reviewed for the supply of administrative agency staff by the top five highest paid recruitment agencies.