2,000 more health jobs in last year demonstrates sector’s role in economic recovery – Varadkar

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar, will tonight tell the College of Anaesthetists of Ireland that 2,000 jobs have been created in health in both the public and private sector in the last year.  He will tell the College that the health sector should get much more recognition as an important employer and revenue generator, with a further role to play in economic growth.

“This week we hit a significant milestone in Ireland’s economic recovery as the number of extra jobs created under this Government hit 100,000.

“The health sector is playing its part in the recovery and in the last year some 2,000 extra jobs were generated in both private and public employers.

“In fact, the health sector employs around 250,000 people between the HSE, other public health sector employers, private healthcare, pharmaceuticals and med-tech companies.

“Only this week a €5 million investment in the Applied Research for Connected Health Technology Centre was announced.

“Too often I hear negative commentary about the health sector being a drain on the Exchequer, when in fact it’s a significant employer and generates a huge amount of revenue from research, medical devices and pharmaceuticals in particular. Health is big business, big jobs and big revenue.”