Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that graduate physiotherapists are not being employed by the Health Service Executive yet gravely ill patients are having to wait up to two years in order to secure an appointment with a physiotherapist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8868/08]

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has plans to address the serious waiting list for access to physiotherapist services provided by the State; and if she will provide an undertaking that graduate level physiotherapists will be employed by the Health Service Executive to address this crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8869/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 and 247 together.

Almost 130,000 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 numbers 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 health care needs of the population into the future.

There has been a growing demand for, and investment in, physiotherapy services over the last number of years. A particular priority for this Department and the Department of Education and Science in recent years has been the expansion of the supply of therapy graduates. Training places for physiotherapists have increased by 137.5% since 1997 (from 64 to 152). My Department has worked closely with the HSE in the provision of clinical placements for these students; an essential component of the therapy degree programmes.

I am aware that an issue has arisen whereby some physiotherapy graduates have had difficulty in obtaining employment. My Department has been addressing this situation in a proactive manner over the last year with a view to ensuring that the various factors which contributed to it are addressed. In this regard, the Department has chaired a working group with the HSE comprising the relevant stakeholders and has identified the contributing factors to this complex situation. An Action Plan has been developed to address these matters and the situation is being closely monitored.

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 matter in relation to waiting lists for access to physiotherapy services raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested that the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive investigate the matter and issue a reply directly to the Deputy.