ONE IN EVERY six hospital consultants in Ireland is working on a temporary basis, according to new figures from the HSE.

Data provided to the Oireachtas Health Committee shows that 16.5% of consultants, a total of 763 doctors, are employed as locum consultants, rather than in permanent posts.

Locum consultants are doctors hired on fixed-term or short-term contracts, often to fill gaps caused by staff shortages, retirements or unfilled permanent roles.

While they play a role in maintaining services, heavy reliance on locums can make long-term service planning more difficult.

The figures show that the highest number of locum consultants are working in general medicine (236). 141 locum consultants work in psychiatry, and 101 are employed in surgery.

Smaller hospitals are among those most reliant on locum staff, with 32 locum consultants in Tralee, 27 in Letterkenny, 26 in Tullamore, and 15 in Tipperary, according to the data.

The issue was raised by Fine Gael TD Colm Burke, who said the reliance on locum consultants was hindering long-term planning across the health service.

Burke, a member of the Oireachtas Health Committee, said consultant posts were often only advertised after a doctor had already retired, even when management had advance notice of their departure.

“It is difficult to see how a consultant who may have no prospect of being made permanent can develop and lead a team,” he said, adding that research from the UK suggests heavy reliance on locums can lead to quality and safety issues if problems are not addressed in a sustained way.

Burke also said concerns had been raised with him by permanent consultants about the impact of high locum use on continuity of care, team morale and communication with patients.

“With a new CEO about to start, now is the perfect time for the HSE to set clear targets for 2026 to fill vacant posts and reduce the reliance on locum consultants in Irish hospitals,” Burke said.