Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 106: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of vacancies by Health Board area, of nursing, therapy and allied medical professional posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18784/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The quarterly health service personnel return collects employment information solely on the basis of grade and employing agency and does not include any data in relation to vacancy levels as requested by the Deputy. Accordingly, my Department has requested the national director of human resources of the Health Service Executive to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and respond to her directly.

There has been an increase in the level of health service employment of 30,882, excluding home helps, in whole-time equivalent terms, since 1997, or 45.5%. In this context, comparing employment levels at end-December 2004 to those at end-1997, there were 40.9% more medical-dental personnel, an increase of 2,037; 116% more health and social care professionals employed in the health services, an increase of 6,892; and 25.5% more nurses in whole-time equivalent terms, an increase of 6,967.