Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will ensure that all hospitals are complying with the requirement that elective admissions be in an 80:20 public private ratio basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30825/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The provision of private care in public acute hospitals is long standing feature of the Irish health care system. Some 2,500 beds in public hospitals are designated as private and semi-private. The 80:20 ratio to which the Deputy refers is an average across the entire acute system. The percentage of beds designated as private varies between individual hospitals; for example, there is a higher ratio of private beds in maternity and paediatric hospitals and a lower ratio in other hospitals.

I am concerned that there are instances where the ratio of private work has far exceeded the stated bed designation. This is a matter which is central to this Government's reform programme, in particular, in relation to a new hospital consultants' contract.

The day-to-day management of the public/private mix in acute hospitals is the statutory responsibility of the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter raised by the Deputy investigated and to reply directly to the Deputy.

Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the effects that the ban on recruitment by the Health Service Executive is having on service delivery in the five hospitals across the HSE north east region; her views on the fact that lives are being placed at risk by the failure to replace over 130 medical staff, including physiotherapists, pharmacists, radiographers and over 100 nursing staff in these hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30826/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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There is no ban on recruitment of staff in the public health service. It is a matter for the Health Service Executive, as part of its management of its employment ceiling, to determine the appropriate staffing mix required to deliver its service plan priorities. I have consistently emphasised the importance of prioritising the filling of front line vacancies in complying with approved employment levels. I have also emphasised the need to achieve an appropriate balance between clinical and non-clinical posts.

Approved employment levels for the health service have been adjusted since 2002 in line with Government policy on public sector employment and also to take account of specific policy measures aimed at increasing service levels. My Department is currently in discussions with the Department of Finance and the Health Service Executive to agree revisions to the health service employment ceiling to take account of service developments.

As the Deputy's question relates to human resource management issues and 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 this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.