Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 58: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to fill paramedical staff vacancies in the community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8321/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy's question relates to human resource management issues which are a matter for the Health Service Executive, the parliamentary affairs division of the executive has been asked to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.

While information on vacancies in health and social care professional, paramedic grades, is not collected as a matter of routine in my Department, information is however collected on employment levels. The latest available figures show an increase of 7,727, an increase of 130%, to 13,665 in the total number of health and social care professionals between end December 1997 and end September 2005. Numbers are given in whole time equivalents and reflect some grade re-categorisation over the period.