More than 10,000 new frontline staff will be recruited under FG plan

The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, has said that Fine Gael will recruit 10,183 new frontline staff, including doctors, teachers and nurses, as part of the party’s Long Term Economic Plan. Minister Humphreys added that it would make it easier to access care in the community in Cavan and Monaghan and would help to improve the quality of people’s lives.

“It is clear to me that investing in services is one of the key priorities for local people in Cavan and Monaghan. The party’s Long Term Economic Plan will combine smart public service investment with reform, to ensure new and better services.

“By keeping the recovery going and creating more jobs, we will have the resources to invest in better services right across the country. Fine Gael will combine reform with smart investment in public services so we can provide better services and produce better outcomes.

“Hiring more frontline staff will allow us to provide more care in the community from nurses, doctors and therapists, and more gardaí on the beat as we free up 300 gardaí from desk work, as well as 600 new Garda recruits a year.'

Minister Humphreys took the opportunity to his out at Fianna Fáil and what she says was its 'disastrous economic policies', citing the ban on recruitment of public servants, the closure of 1,245 hospital beds, the closure of Templemore Garda Training College and emigration.

“Fine Gael has prioritised an end to this recruitment moratorium; we have re-opened the Garda college and hospital beds and we have rolled out free GP care to the under 6s and over 70s.

“People don’t want a return to boom and bust spending on public services. They want to know local public services are sustainable and secure for the future. That is why Fine Gael will keep spending increases at 1% below the long term growth rate of the economy to ensure there is no boom and bust approach to investing in public services.

“It is only with a strong economy that we can provide these services, which is why the Fine Gael Long Term Economic Plan to keep the recovery going is so essential.”