Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when the freeze on recruiting staff will end; the way the situation is impacting on the South Tipperary General Hospital; and if the particular circumstances for that hospital, whereby they are already short-staffed, has been taken into account. [35090/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The current pause on the recruitment of additional staff is a temporary measure initiated as part of the Health Service Executive financial break-even plan. Of course, in any instance where a critical or essential vacancy arises it may be filled through redeployment of existing staff by the Line Manager or re-assignment of responsibilities based on an assessment of the priority of need.

Notwithstanding this, the Health Service Executive recognises that there are some circumstances where the appointment of staff may be necessary in frontline services. Accordingly, a process has been put in place to evaluate, monitor and approve requests for derogation from the general recruitment pause. A small group has been established including a representative of the National Hospitals Office, PCCC and other Directorates of the HSE and this group meets regularly to consider such applications. Of the applications for derogation received to date, 860 WTEs (wholetime equivalents) have been approved where posts have been identified as critical to service delivery.

I have been advised by the Health Service Executive that the recruitment pause will continue for December 2007 and the current arrangement will be reviewed prior to the end of the year. It is intended that a robust employment control framework will continue to be applied to services in 2008.

Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular case of South Tipperary General Hospital 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.