John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 665: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans, in view of her statement in a radio interview on Budget Day 2007 that many newly qualified physiotherapists are unemployed, to address this situation; and if she will provide employment for the 150 graduates expected to graduate in May 2007. [1183/07]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 740: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the number of people who are qualified but unemployed as physiotherapists and the need for improvements to be carried out to services for people requiring physiotherapy; if she will allocate additional funding from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1614/07]

Liam Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 845: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the number of physiotherapists currently unemployed; the action she is taking to alleviate the present situation in view of the number of people in need of this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2244/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 665, 740 and 845 together.

I am aware that an issue has arisen around the availability of employment opportunities for recently qualified physiotherapists and I have asked the Health Service Executive 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 oversupply 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 (FAS, August 2005) and as evidenced by the number of development posts planned for the physiotherapy profession in the coming years.

At present, it is acknowledged that there is a higher demand for senior physiotherapists but, less opportunities for newly qualified graduates. I am advised that the Health Service Executive has a number of panels in place from which basic grade physiotherapist vacancies will be filled. A further national competition to employ basic grade physiotherapists was advertised this month and a number of recently graduated physotherapists were contacted by the Health Service Executive to advise them of this opportunity to broaden their employment options.

The provision of additional physiotherapy services through developments in a number of service areas has been prioritised in recent years. A number of physiotherapists will be employed as a result of the additional funding allocated in both 2006 and 2007 to extend the home care package scheme. An additional €55m (full year cost) was allocated to the scheme in 2006 with a similar amount in 2007 providing 2,000 extra packages in both years, benefiting some 4,000 people.

Home care packages deliver a wide range of services, including the services of physiotherapists and are aimed at older people who need more assistance to continue to live in their community. As part of the development of primary care there has been a very significant increase in resources and capacity for delivery of physiotherapy services in primary care settings, with 77.5 new physiotherapy posts being created with the funding made available in 2006. The Primary Care Strategy aims to develop services in the community to give people direct access to locally-based integrated multi-disciplinary teams which include physiotherapists. It is anticipated that physiotherapy capacity will be further expanded in 2007 as a result of the planned establishment of a further 100 Primary Care Teams.

Funding was provided in 2006 to support the provision of clinical training in physiotherapy and will result in the recruitment of 18 Physiotherapy Practice Tutors. In the 2007 Budget a sum of €75m for revenue purposes was provided to the Health Service Executive for the Disability Services and represents the 2007 element of the Government's multi-annual investment programme for the National Disability Strategy. The Strategy is committed to enhancing the level and range of multi-disciplinary support services, including physiotherapy, and will require the recruitment of a significant number of physiotherapists.

My Department and the Health Service Executive are continuing to take steps, in consultation with relevant stakeholders which include the physiotherapy professional body and the physiotherapy managers, to find a satisfactory and sustainable approach to the allocation of posts between senior and other grades that will lead to greater employment opportunities for newly qualified graduates in both the short and longer term. Over 120,000 people work full-time or part-time in our public health services. In recent years, the Government's ongoing high level of investment in health has achieved and maintained significant increases in the numbers of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the public health services. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of such personnel in order to secure a good supply of graduates to provide for the healthcare needs of the population into the future.

My Department does not set employment quotas at national level for any grade in the public health service. Subject to overall parameters set by Government, the Health Service Executive has the responsibility for determining the composition of its staffing complement. In that regard, it is a matter for the Executive to manage and deploy its human resources to best meet the requirements of its Annual Service Plan for the delivery of health and personal social services to the public. The Executive is the appropriate body to consider the matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 666: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of sanctioned posts for basic grade physiotherapists in the Health Service at dates (details supplied). [1184/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Over 120,000 people work full-time or part-time in our public health services. In recent years, the Government's ongoing high level of investment in health has achieved and maintained significant increases in the numbers of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the public health services. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of such personnel in order to secure a good supply of graduates to provide for the healthcare needs of the population into the future.

My Department does not set employment quotas at national level for any grade in the public health service. Subject to overall parameters set by Government, the Health Service Executive has the responsibility for determining the composition of its staffing complement. In that regard, it is a matter for the Executive to manage and deploy its human resources to best meet the requirements of its Annual Service Plan for the delivery of health and personal social services to the public. The Executive is the appropriate body to consider the matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 667: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of non-EU physiotherapists employed in the Irish Health service. [1185/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Over 120,000 people work full-time or part-time in our public health services. In recent years, the Government's ongoing high level of investment in health has achieved and maintained significant increases in the numbers of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the public health services. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of such personnel in order to secure a good supply of graduates to provide for the healthcare needs of the population into the future.

The Health Service Executive is the appropriate body to consider the matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 668: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the total of fees paid to agencies and so on for the recruitment of non-national nurses in each of the years 2003 to 2006. [1186/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Almost 120,000 people work full-time in our public health services. In recent years, the Government's ongoing high level of investment in health has achieved and maintained significant increases in the number of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the public health services. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of such personnel in order to secure a good supply of graduates to provide for the healthcare needs of the population into the future.

Subject to overall parameters set by Government, the Health Service Executive has the responsibility for determining the composition of its staffing complement. In that regard, it is a matter for the Executive to manage and deploy its human resources to best meet the requirements of its Annual Service Plan for the delivery of health and personal social services to the public. The Executive is the appropriate body to consider the matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 669: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will confirm that non-national nurses are paid on the same scales as nurses recruited locally. [1187/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I can confirm that in the public health service overseas nurses are paid on the same salary scales as Irish nurses. All nurses regardless of nationality are given incremental credit for relevant nursing service gained anywhere in the world. Employers in the private health sector are not obliged to adhere to the Consolidated Salary Scales issued by my Department. However, they must comply with employment legislation, including the Employment Equality Acts 1998 and 2004 which prohibit discrimination on grounds of nationality.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 670: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the statement made by a person (details supplied) on radio recently that some newly qualified Irish nurses are unable to find employment as nurses in the Irish health service. [1188/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The first cohort of students from the new four year degree programme graduated and registered as nurses in 2006. I understand that the overwhelming majority of these newly qualified nurses have taken up employment in the Irish public health service.

There are vacant positions in the health service available for nurses on an ongoing basis to replace staff who have retired or resigned and in cases where new or enhanced services are being rolled out. The Health Service Executive advertises nursing and midwifery posts in the local and national media and on the website www.careersinhealthcare.ie. It is recognised that the geographic location of vacant posts or the specific requirements for particular posts may not match the profile of nurses seeking employment.