Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 258: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of social workers per county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2367/06]

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 259: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of social workers per county that are available after hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2368/06]

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 260: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to increase the number of social workers per county available on an after hours or 24 hour access basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2369/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 to 260, inclusive, together.

As the matters raised by the Deputy relate to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have these matters investigated and have a reply issued directly to the Deputy. My Department's quarterly health service personnel census collects employment information solely on the basis of grade and employing authority rather than on a county basis. However, the Deputy will wish to note that for the period between 31 December 1997 and ending 30 September 2005, the number of social workers employed in the public health service increased by 897 to 2,061 or 77% in whole-time equivalent terms. The following table shows a breakdown of these figures by Health Service Executive area for the Deputy's information.