James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will report on the levels of staff employed by the Health Service Executive in administration and other non-frontline duties; if it compares well in comparison to other countries with efficient health care services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23458/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Almost 130,000 people work full-time or part-time in our public health services. 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 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 to the Deputy.

The Deputy may wish to note that the HSE has commissioned an independent study to examine such issues as the number of clerical/admin staff, the proportion of such staff engaged in front line services, comparisons with other jurisdictions, comparisons with non-healthcare settings and resource issues and I look forward to the outcome of this study.