Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children further to the reply to the Adjournment debate of 14 April 2005 and the statement that speech and language services are essential, his plans to provide funding to the Health Service Executive to permit those in need to obtain such a service while the new schools of speech and language therapy complete the education of therapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12429/05]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver or arrange to be delivered on its behalf health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for speech and language therapy. Accordingly, my Department has requested the chief officer for the executive's south-eastern area to investigate the matter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 177: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of speech and language therapists employed by the Health Service Executive in each of its areas; the number of positions filled by non-EU workers in each of the past three years; the number of vacancies within each area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12439/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The latest available information on health sector employment are figures for the end of 2004. At that time the numbers employed in the speech and language therapy grades in each Health Service Executive area are described in the following table with all figures expressed in whole time equivalent terms. The health service personnel census collects employment information solely on the basis of grade and employing agency. It does not collect any personal information on employees or gather the data on vacancy levels requested by the Deputy. My Department has, therefore, forwarded these aspects of the Deputy's request to the chief officer of each Health Service Executive area to investigate the matter and reply directly to the Deputy.