Labour Court recommends agency workers continue at Galway Ambulance Service

The Labour Court recommended that the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union facilitate the use of agency workers at Galway Ambulance Service while sanctioned relief crew posts were being filled. The recommendation was signed on 16 April 2008. The union said agency workers were preventing direct recruitment and cited a deficit of 44 staff across Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. HSE Western Area said agency workers were needed to maintain customer care amid recruitment and training difficulties, noting that 100 trainee emergency medical technicians were in training nationally. The Court recommended an open competition if the relief crew posts were not filled by 31 March 2010, with agency workers to cease then.