Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been brought to the fact that 35 out of 55 students who qualified as basic grade physiotherapists at UCD in 2005 are as yet not employed in the health services; her plans to ensure that physiotherapy services are expanded in order that the skills of these qualified persons will be put to good use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39310/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I was recently made aware that an issue has arisen around the availability of employment opportunities for recently qualified physiotherapists and I have asked the HSE to give the matter its urgent attention.

Let me say at the outset that it is a matter for the Health Service Executive, as part of the management of its employment ceiling, to determine the appropriate staffing mix required to deliver its service plan priorities.

It is important to note that there is not an over supply of physiotherapists in Ireland. The Bacon Report ("Current and Future Supply and Demand Conditions in the Labour Market for Certain Professional Therapists") March 2001 recommended an increase in physiotherapy training places, following which additional training places were provided. There continues to be a growing demand for physiotherapy services and this is likely to continue as was highlighted in the Healthcare Skills Monitoring Report (FÁS, August 2005) and as evidenced by the number of development posts planned for the physiotherapy profession in the coming years.

At present, there is a significant demand for senior physiotherapists but, less opportunities for newly qualified graduates. I am advised that the HSE has recently advertised 81 Primary Care physiotherapy posts and there will be a further 62 development posts in physiotherapy, in areas such as services for persons with disability and older person's services. The majority of these posts, which should be filled in the coming months, are at senior level, but their filling should provide employment opportunities for recent graduates through backfill. As the development posts are taken up by seniors, or more qualified basic grades currently in the system, a gap will be left for the recent physiotherapy graduates.

My Department and the HSE are taking steps, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to find a satisfactory and sustainable resolution to this issue that will lead to greater employment opportunities for newly qualified graduates.