Fórsa has said it is ‘continuing to see breeches on a daily basis’ on the use of recruitment agencies to fill positions within the Clerical Admin arena of the health body.

The union said despite previous confirmation that the practice of using recruitment agencies to fill positions within the Clerical Admin area will be ceasing immediately, save in circumstances where there is agreement with Fórsa officials, once all other options have been exhausted and an urgent and approved need arises, it continued to receive daily reports of the ongoing practice.

The matter is due to be discussed further at the extraordinary divisional council meeting later this month.

Following Fórsa’s previous intervention regarding staff recruited as agency personnel and without any recognition of collective agreements, the union met with the National Director of HR and Assistant National Director for Employee Relations at the HSE earlier this month, to discuss its concerns regarding the matter earlier this month.

The HSE had confirmed its commitment to direct employment for non-entry grade posts, up to Grade VII, to the Health Family in the first instance, except on foot of an agreed derogation between the HSE and Fórsa.

A derogation process in instances where it has not possible to fill posts internally was in practice.

In addition, the advertisements contain terms such as hourly rates, salaries negotiable, and other concerning details which were in direct breach of collective agreements.

Fórsa and the HSE have been engaged in a ‘recruitment and reform’ project since the August 2022. Fórsa maintains that recruitment to the HSE is a core function of staff within the HSE.

However, the union had become concerned by its recent discovery of an increase in the number of external recruitment agencies that appeared to be operating, without agreement, in what appeared to be partnership with the HSE.

In a letter to the HSE’s director of human resources, national secretary Ashley Connolly questioned the HSE adherence to agreed recruitment practices and highlighted the number of breaches that have been brought to her attention over the last few weeks.

Ashley said most of the recruitment notices appeared to indicate that the positions will be filled by agency workers, and that successful candidates will not be directly employed by the HSE, which she said was a ‘complete breach’ of existing agreements.