Brendan Kenneally (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason there is a director of nursing, two assistant directors of nursing and at least five staff nurses working in Cashel General Hospital, which has been closed and has no patients, bearing in mind staff pressures elsewhere; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1409/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The numbers of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the public health system have increased significantly in recent years, in tandem with the high level of investment in the development of new services. In December 2007, a revised employment ceiling for the health service of 108,291 expressed in whole time equivalents was sanctioned, representing an increase of 291 over the December 2006 approved ceiling and 10,741 over that approved at the end of 2005.

There has also been a substantial expansion of training places available at undergraduate level across a range of healthcare professions in order to ensure an ongoing supply of personnel in sufficient numbers for our health services 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.