Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 108: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she intends lifting the cap on medical staffing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15439/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The 2005 employment ceiling for the health service is currently 97,550 in whole-time equivalent terms. Below that national ceiling, there is no specific cap on the number of medical personnel who may be employed.

Under the Health Act 2004, responsibility for the management of the health sector employment ceiling rests with the Health Service Executive, which took over full operational responsibility for running the country's health and personal social services on 1 January 2005. That management includes such issues as the determination of the appropriate staffing mix and the precise grades of staff employed, in line with service plan priorities, subject to overall employment levels remaining below the authorised ceiling.

The Deputy may wish to note that since the end of 1997 there has been a 41% increase in the number of medical and dental personnel working in the health services, bringing the total number to 7,031, an increase of 2,037 whole-time equivalents at the end of 2004.