Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

I will take this matter on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Mary Harney, Minister for Health and Children.

I thank Deputy Tuffy for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to outline the current situation regarding speech and language therapy services.

I wish to advise the House that the recruitment pause put in place in September 2007 was initiated as part of the HSE financial break-even plan. The purpose of that break-even plan was to facilitate the delivery of services on budget in accordance with the provisions of the HSE's 2007 national service plan. The pause did not involve random job cuts but did mean the recruitment of staff to approved positions was delayed. I understand the HSE put in place a derogation process to deal with the filling of essential posts to protect frontline services and that close to 900 posts were approved under this process.

This temporary pause in recruitment ended on 31 December 2007 and any posts falling vacant from 1 January 2008 can be filled subject to the provisions of the circular issued by the HSE in early January. That circular sets out the HSE employment control framework for 2008 and is aimed at ensuring that health services are delivered in accordance with the provisions of the 2008 national service plan and within the funding provided by Government.

My colleague, Deputy Harney, are I are conscious of the effect the non-filling of this post has on clients in the catchment area of the health centre in question, which I understand is called the Rowlagh Health Centre. As the House will be aware, however, operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. The filling of posts, therefore, is an issue for decision by local management having regard to service priorities and allocated budgets. The Health Service Executive has advised that it has a policy of prioritising the filling of frontline posts to enable the delivery of services to patients and clients. The HSE has also advised that the situation in Rowlagh Health Centre will continue to be kept under review.

The House may wish to note that arising from the budget day funding package approved by Government for 2008, an additional 1,050 new posts have been approved for the health services. It is anticipated that a number of these posts will be therapy professionals.

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