Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 814: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason persons who have been employed as hospital attendants and who have completed successfully a carers course are not given recognition for such achievement and are not paid accordingly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2099/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 815: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons who have graduated through hospital attendants positions to qualified carers in hospital situations; when it is intended to remunerate these persons at their new level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2100/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 814 and 815 together.

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 health care 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 health care 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.