Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of health and safety inspectors in the south east in the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006; the number of inspections carried out in the same years; and the number of prosecutions in the same years. [23048/06]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The boundaries of the Health and Safety Authority's South East Region for operational purposes has varied over the period years 2000 to date. In the period 2000 to 2004 it comprised 4 counties, i.e. Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny and South Tipperary, during which there were 3 Inspectors assigned to the region.

In Spring 2005 the region was expanded to include counties: Carlow, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and the areas of South Kildare and South Wicklow. From April to July 2005 there were 7.5 Inspectors assigned to the region (i.e. 7 full time and 1 on half time). From 1 August 2005 to 30 April 2006 there were 6.5 Inspectors in the region. Since 1 May 2006 there are 5.5 Inspectors involved in inspection work, with 3 new Inspectors currently in training.

I might also mention that, as the need arises, and as part of the Authority's targeted work programmes, inspections are conducted in a region both by inspectors based in that region and by inspectors from other regions.

The following are the inspection figures for Counties Waterford, Kilkenny, Tipperary (North and South) and Wexford in the period 2000 to date. It is not possible in the short-time available to remove the North Tipperary figures from the totals.

Also set out is the national data on prosecutions in the period in question. The cases referred to in each year are completed cases.