John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 344: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of staff grade physiotherapy posts that were on offer in the Health Service Executive advertisement in a newspaper (details supplied); the reason the number of these staff grade positions, paid for by the taxpayer, is such a secret that a constituent of this Deputy was refused this information by the HSE; the action she will take to ensure that the 150 young people graduating as physiotherapists in May 2007 have appropriate employment in the Irish health service, in view of the fact that they cannot apply for the jobs advertised in the newspaper as they are just short of qualification and it is unlikely that there will be further HSE recruitment in 2007 in view of the fact that panels will be set up from this advertisement. [4738/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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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 and to manage the recruitment process. 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. I understand in the context of the job advertisement referred to by the Deputy that the number of posts on offer is of the order of 30.

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 that will lead to greater employment opportunities for newly qualified graduates in both the short and longer term.

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.