David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 97: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of occupational therapists and physiotherapists employed in different regions by the Health Service Executive who work mainly in supporting the needs of the elderly who are not in institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12628/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Employment information collected by my Department relates to grades and employing authority rather than to specific areas of responsibility for individual staff. As the information requested by the Deputy relates to the delivery of health and social care services and human resource management issues which are matters for the Health Service Executive, the parliamentary affairs division of the executive has been asked to respond directly to the Deputy in regard to the information sought.

The Deputy may wish to note that the employment information collected by my Department shows that the number of occupational therapists employed in the public health service increased from 287.5 to 761.68, an increase of 474.18 or 165%, between 31 December 1997 and 30 September 2005. The number of physiotherapists employed increased from 592.89 to 1,213.44, an increase of 620.55 or 105%, over the same period. Included in these figures are Health Service Executive-health board staff employed by voluntary hospitals and staff employed by intellectual disability agencies. A breakdown of the figures, including information on Health Service Executive-health board staff by region, is given in the following tables. All figures are given in whole-time equivalents.