Over 235 community healthcare posts in Cork are still lying vacant, despite funding being made available from the Health Service Executive.
That is according to figures released by the HSE in response to a Parliamentary Question, which show that across the county, hundreds of posts that have received funding remain unfilled.
Community healthcare posts cover a wide range of services delivered outside of hospitals, including GP services, local mental health services, and public health nursing.
In a response to Cork North Deputy Ken O'Flynn, Deborah Harrington, HSE South West Regional Director of People, provided statistics showing that the executive is short of more than 100 posts in the area of 'Patient and Client Care'.
The HSE also reported staff shortages in the areas of Nursing and Midwifery, Health and Social Care, Management and Administration, and 'General Support', with vacancies ranging from almost 20 to almost 50 positions.
Medical and dental are currently the only categories which are currently operating above the funded staffing limit.
In her response, Ms Harrington informed Deputy O'Flynn that roles typically carry an expected six-month timeline from advertisement to commencement.
Under new HSE timeframes, candidates must start roles within three months of accepting a job offer, reducing to six weeks in the case of internal appointments.
However, Deputy O'Flynn said the statistics are a shocking reflection of current recruitment issues within the service.
"These are not proposed posts or unfunded posts. These are paid-for jobs left empty while patients wait and families struggle.
"The most damning figure is in patient and client care, where almost 118 whole-time equivalent posts are vacant. These are the workers who deliver care in homes, disability services, older person supports, and frontline community settings. Their absence means delayed assessments, reduced hours, cancelled visits, and pressure pushed back onto families.
"This exposes a health system that tolerates failure as routine," continued the Independent Ireland Deputy. "The money is allocated. The posts exist. Yet Cork is expected to accept chronic understaffing as normal practice. That is not reform. That is resignation.
"Even more telling is the imbalance in staffing. Medical and dental posts exceed funded limits, while nursing, therapy, disability, and care roles are hollowed out. This is not a lack of resources. This is a failure of workforce planning and urgency.
"This situation is indefensible and must be corrected without delay," Deputy O'Flynn said.