Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has had discussions with the Department of Education and Science to address problems in the allocation of staff including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists for children with special needs in primary schools which, in one case, has caused the board of management to postpone the opening of a school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9308/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The staffing of primary schools is a matter for the Minister for Education and Science and the provision of health-related services to pupils in such schools is a matter, in the first instance, for the Health Service Executive.

Since the establishment of the Health Service Executive, the number of speech and language therapists has increased by 215 to 712 — an increase of 43%, the number of occupational therapists has increased by 320 to 1,025 — an increase of 45% and the number of psychologists has increased by 184 to 692.5 — an increase of 36%.

As the Deputy is aware, intervention early in life can have a significant impact on the disabling effects of a condition or impairment. In recognition of this, Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 was commenced for children aged under 5 years with effect from 1 June, 2007. This provides parents of young children with disabilities with an entitlement to an independent assessment of their child's health and education needs and a statement of the services which it is proposed to provide for them. To date over 1,300 applications for assessment of need have been received and are being processed by the HSE.

Representatives of the Department of Health and Children, Department of Education and Science, the Health Service Executive and the National Council for Special Education meet on a monthly basis to address a range of issues including matters arising in relation to the ongoing implementation of the Disability Act 2005. This work includes planning for the roll out of Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 and the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004 to children between 5 and 18 years and to adults. Issues in relation to the timely and appropriate provision of health and education supports to children with a range of disabilities including autism are being considered in the context of these discussions. Health related support services for children aged 5 to 18 and for adults will continue to be enhanced to enable the Health Service Executive to meet needs identified for this group.

The recently-established Office for Disability and Mental Health will focus in particular on facilitating the delivery of integrated health and education support services for children with special needs, by further developing these existing mechanisms for co-operation and co-ordination between the health and education sectors.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress being made in filling the 183 occupational therapy posts which were unfilled at the end of 2007; if the recruitment embargo has been lifted to allow people on the panel to take up some of these posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9318/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The recruitment pause put in place in September 2007 was initiated as part of the HSE financial break-even plan to facilitate the delivery of services on budget in accordance with the provisions of the 2007 National Service Plan. The HSE put in place a derogation process to deal with the filling of essential posts to protect front-line services and close to 900 posts were approved under this process.

This temporary pause in recruitment ended on 31st December 2007 and any posts falling vacant from 1st January 2008 can be filled subject to the provisions of a detailed employment control circular issued by the HSE on January 8th.

It is very important that measures are in place in 2008 to avoid a repetition of the problems encountered in 2007. In my letter to the Chairman of the HSE approving the 2008 National Service Plan, I have emphasised that the evident links between the Voted allocation, approved employment levels and service activity — within the HSE itself and in HSE funded agencies such as the major voluntary hospitals — need to be planned and actively managed from the very start of the year with appropriate action being taken in the event of any divergence from profile.

It is only through this integrated and managed approach that the HSE will be able to ensure that resources for services (including staffing) are directed as intended by Government.

Over 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 number of doctors, nurses and other healthcare 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 healthcare needs of the population 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 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 issue in relation to the filling of occupational therapy posts 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.