Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 209: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount of funding provided by her Department in the health budget for each year from 1998 to date in 2006; the number employed in the health services throughout the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7436/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The amount of gross funding provided for the health Vote from 1998 to 2006 is detailed in the following table. The Deputy should note that figures for 2005 and 2006 relate to the Votes for the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive. The 2006 figures are in respect of published Abridged Estimates figures plus the budget 2006 provision.

The sources are the Revised Estimates for Public Services, 1999 to 2005, the Abridged Estimates Volume for 2006 and budget 2006.

The Department of Health and Children's health service personnel census is collected on a quarterly basis and encompasses staff employed by the Health Service Executive, the voluntary hospitals and some intellectual disability agencies. The latest available figures, which are for the end of September 2005, together with year-end data for the remainder of the period referred to by the Deputy are as per the table below. The Deputy may wish to note there has been an increase in the number of medical and dental personnel over the period of 2,056, or 40%; of 8,267, or 31%, in the number of nurses; and of 7,275, or 114%, in the numbers of health and social care professionals. The Deputy should exercise caution in making grade category comparisons over time due to the reclassification of certain grades.

The figures for health service employment in the following table excludes home helps.