Latest news with #Mullingar
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Cost of hiring agency staff in hospitals hit €380m last year
The cost of hiring agency staff for the country's hospitals increased by almost 50 per cent between 2021 and 2024, newly released HSE figures show, with some hospitals showing much greater increases. At Temple Street Children's Hospital and the Mater , both in Dublin, there were four- and five-fold increases respectively. The hospital-by-hospital breakdown of costs provided to Sinn Féin's David Cullinane by the HSE shows a nationwide spend of €379.7 million on the hiring of agency workers, including nurses, other health professionals and administrators, across the country's network of more than 50 statutory and Section 38 hospitals last year. The latter are facilities run by voluntary organisations on behalf of the HSE. Recently published HSE accounts covering just statutory services suggest a little over half of the total spend would be on clinical workers. READ MORE The overall cost to hospitals of agency staff, the figures show, was up 47.7 per cent between 2021 and 2024, with the preliminary €170 million spend for the first five months of 2025 suggesting the annual spend is set to increase despite ongoing efforts to rein it in. The highest spend overall in 2024 was the €26.2 million outlay at Mullingar General , while the bills at Limerick University Hospital and the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise exceeded €21 million in both instances. The greatest percentage increases over the period, meanwhile, were at the Children's Health Ireland-run Temple Street Hospital, where the spend went from €1.93 million in 2021 to €8.53m in 2024, and the Mater – where the corresponding figures were €3 million and €15.726 million respectively. There are substantial variations in the scale of and changes to agency spend over the four years across the 54 hospitals for which detail is provided, with Covid, service and facility development all said to be factors. However, the figures at some of the country's largest acute general hospitals – St James', Tallaght, Beaumont and St Vincent's – all remained relatively stable. [ HSE to cut travel expenses and agency staff to tackle €218m overspend Opens in new window ] In a letter to Mr Cullinane that accompanied the figures, the HSE says the 'recruitment and retention of clinical, nursing and other key staff is a constant challenge and impacts adversely on the ability to maintain safe and effective services'. It says the need can arise for a wide variety of reasons, including absences due to illness and covering vacancies, and that the spend on agency staff arises in many instances despite extensive efforts to recruit staff. Unions say a freeze on hiring across many roles in recent years has contributed to the increased reliance on temporary workers. As the HSE comes under continued pressure to keep total spending within budgets, however, it told Mr Cullinane: 'There remains work still to do to achieve the level of agency and overtime savings required.' Commenting on the figures, Mr Cullinane said, 'It is completely unacceptable that HSE spending on outsourced staffing is continuing to rise. It is staggering that more than €725 million was spent on agency staffing in 2024, and has not slowed down in 2025.' The €725 million figure, contained in the HSE accounts, relates to the organisation's own spend on agency workers across all areas of its operations including non-hospital settings, but does not include Section 38 hospitals. [ Almost €100m spent on companies that use HSE facilities and staff to cut waiting lists after hours Opens in new window ] With more than €2.5 billion spent since 2021 on private agency staffing, Mr Cullinane said it was 'incredible that the HSE could consider this wasteful spending to be sustainable'. 'It is no coincidence that agency spending skyrocketed in 2024 after the Government imposed an arbitrary recruitment embargo. 'The Government must mandate real cuts to agency spending. Spending should be converted into directly hired HSE jobs. The HSE has said that savings are possible in this area but it seems that is no political will to achieve it.'
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Cricket: Dundalk Firsts edge past Mullingar to reach cup final
Despite shaky league form (only three wins total from 16 matches combined), both sides had enjoyed undefeated cup runs on their way to the semis. Mullingar were no strangers, the two teams having faced off in the league home and away already this season. The spoils were shared up to this point, with both sides defeating the other away from home. In warm overcast conditions at St Finian's, the hosts won the toss and put Dundalk in to bat. Keeper Sakhi Jan and veteran all-rounder Jithin John opened and partnered well, putting on 36 for the first wicket. The visitors struggled to put together partnerships after this, falling to 69-6 before Sanju Thomas and Umer Khan pulled Dundalk into triple figures. Mullingar's Tomas Mount and Brandon Boshoff caused the tailenders difficulty, combing to remove four of the last five batters. Defending just 118, Dundalk knew advancing looked a tough prospect but got the perfect start, captain Syed Adnan removing Mullingar opener PJ Mount early without runs on the board. A worrying 58-run stand for the second wicket followed before off-spinner Muhammad Tayyab made a breakthrough with two quick wickets. After the dangerous Bilal Alam was run brilliantly out by Syed Adnan, Dundalk knew they had brought themselves back into the tie, needing five wickets against the hosts' 42 remaining runs. Umer Khan took two crucial wickets late on to restrict Mullingar to 111-9, but the final batting pair could only muster a further three runs to finish four short and Dundalk celebrated a riveting victory. Dundalk advance to the final where they will meet Phoenix IV on August 16 at Lucan's St Catherine's Park. Elsewhere, Dundalk II lost narrowly in a low-scoring affair away to Sandyford IV at Marlay Park. GS Cricket Intermediate Cup semi-final Dundalk I: 118 (19.1 ov) Jithin 32, Boshoff 3-23 Mullingar II: 114/9 (20 ov) Zain 34, Tayyab 2-18 ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Dundalk won by 4 runs Division 18 Dundalk II: 101 (39 ov) Amal 45, Pratamesh 4-13 Sandyford IV: 102/7 (34 ov) Pratamesh 32, Amal 2-25 Sandyford won by 3 wickets Fixtures Saturday August 9 Division 10: Dundalk I v Pembroke IV Sunday August 10 Division 18: Knockharley III v Dundalk II Interested in getting involved in cricket? Visit or email contact@
Irish Times
17-07-2025
- Irish Times
Former AGSI chief ‘profoundly distressed' by social media attacks, court hears
Former general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants & Inspectors (Agsi) , Antoinette Cunningham , has revealed in court how 'blatantly false, vile social media attacks' left her feeling profound distress and helplessness. Andrew McGovern (38), of School Lane, Rathowen, Co Westmeath, was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing by Judge Bernadette Owens at Mullingar District Court on Thursday. McGovern pleaded guilty to a charge stating that he 'did distribute or publish a threatening or grossly offensive communication about Antoinette Cunningham with intent to cause harm'. The messages were posted on Twitter , now called X . The offence occurred in the Mullingar area from March 16th to March 30th, 2023, while Ms Cunningham was still Agsi head. The charge under section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 carries a possible six-month sentence at District Court level. McGovern will be sentenced on September 4th. Det Sgt Alan Farrelly of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation told the court that the first set of five direct messages was sent privately to the victim and made claims that she was the accused's godmother. Ms McGovern claimed his father had told him this before he died and that he remembered her when he was a toddler in the 1990s. Ms Cunningham ignored the messages until she learned of a second set of 'more sinister' posts on McGovern's Twitter account about her. The posts mentioned a person connected to her and were publicly accessible. They contained unfounded claims that allegations had been 'all swept under the carpet' and that McGovern's life had been ruined. In a victim impact statement, Ms Cunningham spoke out at her dismay at seeing 'blatantly false, vile, and completely shocking allegations' about her on social media. They mentioned her job, which she believed was an effort to 'damage and discredit me'. Describing the posts as 'a demonstration of the very toxic side of social media', she highlighted how the attacks violated her privacy, 'and my sense of personal wellbeing and peace of mind was fractured as a result of what happened'. The court heard she could not fathom why somebody would choose to post disturbing messages about her and continue doing so. 'There was a personal vilification of me going on, and I was powerless, at that point, to do anything about it,' she said. 'The messages had a profoundly negative effect on me, they were filled with hate, disinformation, offensive content, lies and basely offensive matters.' Ms Cunningham was also critical of the social media platform. 'To this day, I find it deeply upsetting that something that is a criminal offence in this country is not accepted as a breach of social media rules here,' she said. Last year, Ms Cunningham, from Limerick, announced her retirement after 33 years with An Garda Síochána and the Agsi.
Irish Times
15-07-2025
- Irish Times
Two teenagers arrested after shots discharged at house in Mullingar
Two teenagers were arrested in connection with the discharge of a gun in a housing estate in Mullingar, Co Westmeath. The incident occurred in the Ardleigh Park area of Mullingar at 1.40pm on Monday afternoon. No injuries were reported at the time. Two male youths, both in their late teens, were subsequently arrested and are currently detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in Co Westmeath. Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information about the incident to come forward. READ MORE Any persons who were in the Ardleigh Park area of Mullingar, Co Westmeath, between 12.30pm and 2.30pm on Monday and who may have witnessed the incident should contact investigating gardaí. Gardaí can be contacted at Mullingar Garda Station on (044) 938 4000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Investigations are ongoing.
BreakingNews.ie
15-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Gardaí arrest two teenagers after shots fired at house in Mullingar
Gardaí have arrested two teenagers in connection with a shooting in a residential area of Co Westmeath. A number of shots were discharged in the Ardleigh Park area of Mullingar at about 1.40pm on Monday. No injuries were reported. Advertisement Two men in their late teens were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the incident. The pair are being questioned in Co Westmeath. Gardaí are appealing for anyone who was in the Ardleigh Park area of the town between 12.30pm and 2.30pm on Monday who may have witnessed the shots being fired to come forward. Officers also want anyone driving in the area who may have dashcam footage to make it available to them. Gardaí can be contacted at Mullingar Garda Station on (044) 938 4000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Investigations are ongoing, gardaí added.
