Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the percentage of people employed by all the health boards who were solely providing an administrative role; the number of people employed by the Health Service Executive at present; the percentage of those employed who are solely providing an administrative role; the way the average here compares to other European countries such as the UK, France or Germany; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24826/07]

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. Under Part 10 of the Health Act 2004, the health boards were dissolved and their functions and employees transferred to the Health Service Executive. 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 Department of Health and Children does not hold data on the percentage of staff employed in a purely administrative role in the health services in other European countries. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the way the average here compares to countries such as the UK, France or Germany. However, the Deputy may wish to note that HSE has commissioned an independent study to examine such issues as the number of clerical/administration staff, the proportion of such staff engaged in front-line services, comparisons with other jurisdictions, comparisons with non-healthcare settings and resource issues.