{
  "id": 17954620,
  "title": "HSE spending increasing amount on overtime, figures show",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/hse-spending-increasing-amount-on-overtime-figures-show",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-03T11:23:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTE News",
    "slug": "rte-news",
    "url": "https://www.rte.ie/news/health/2026/1103/1597781-hse-staff/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Health and Social Care Board (HSE) has been allocating more funds towards overtime for its staff, according to recent data. Between January 2022 and the end of August 2023, acute hospital overtime expenditure amounted to approximately €1.7 billion. The majority of this overtime is dedicated to medical and dental work, nursing, support services, and administration. Some of the most significant individual hospital overtime expenses last year were €30 million each for Beaumont Hospital, the Mater Hospital, Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Limerick, and St Vincent's University Hospital.\n\nThese figures were obtained through a parliamentary question posed by Sinn Féin's Health Spokesperson, David Cullinane. He highlighted the immense pressure faced by hospitals and their staff. Deputy Cullinane noted that the overtime funds are being spent at a time when hospitals are also struggling to fill urgent and priority positions. He emphasized that healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and other staff, are being asked to work excessive overtime to maintain service operations.\n\nIn 2022, the total acute hospital overtime bill was €316 million. Concurrently, there appears to be an unofficial recruitment freeze, as priority positions remain unfilled. Deputy Cullinane concluded by pointing out this discrepancy.",
  "summary": "The HSE is spending an increasing amount of money on overtime for staff, new figures show.",
  "key_points": [
    "HSE spent €1.7 billion on acute hospital overtime from Jan 2022 to Aug 2023",
    "Overtime allocation coincides with staffing challenges and unfilled priority positions"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}