Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if, in view of waiting lists encountered by adopted people and natural parents who wish to trace and by those seeking assessments for suitability to adopt, and the sensitive and specialised nature of the work involved, it is the intention of the Health Services Executive southern region to lay off staff working in its adoption service, either permanently or temporarily or with a view to replacing them, in order to avoid a contractual obligation to employ them on permanent contracts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11876/07]

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 number 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 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 the Actual 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 to the Deputy.