Beverley Flynn (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of podiatrist positions sanctioned for the Roscommon area; the number of these positions currently filled. [10740/07]

Beverley Flynn (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of podiatrist positions sanctioned for the Mayo area; and the number of these positions currently filled. [10744/07]

Beverley Flynn (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of podiatrist positions sanctioned for the Sligo area; and the number of these positions currently filled. [10745/07]

Beverley Flynn (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of podiatrist positions sanctioned for the Galway area; and the number of these positions currently filled. [10746/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 to 217, inclusive, 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.

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.