Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In case the Deputy has any doubt about it I will make it as clear for him as I can. A great deal of intensive work has been going on in the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive for the last period. It was not clear how many and from what categories people would leave the health service. We now know that. The structure is that the assistant secretary in the Department of Health is in charge of the line management of this nationally with the Health Service Executive, the regional directors and, at the bottom of that scale, the planners in each individual hospital. They met again yesterday evening and will attend at the Cabinet sub-committee on health next Tuesday. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will have a similar structure in the other areas I mentioned by next Tuesday, namely, line management with the Department and the agencies involved in justice, education, the Civil Service and, obviously, in heath. That will apply right through this process with intensive discussions taking place. Obviously, in the health area we must also take into account weekend and late night activities where urgent medical attention and services might be required. That is what is going on. I am sure the Deputy agrees with me that we want to make this work. It is not compulsory removal from the public service that is involved here. People are leaving by choice and it is the responsibility to have a structure that fills those vacancies effectively where they should be filled. That is the reason I have given the figures for recruitment in order that the service can continue in the interests of the public and the patients where that is required.

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