James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of speech and language therapists recruited nationally by the Health Service Executive for each of the years 2000 to 2007; the number of speech and language therapists recruited in 2008; the number of vacancies that have to be filled; the number of therapists employed in Dublin HSE areas for the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12880/08]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of occupational therapists employed nationally by the Health Service Executive per annum for each of the years 2000 to 2007; the number of occupational therapists recruited in 2008; the number of vacancies that have to be filled; the location of these posts; the number of therapists employed in Dublin HSE areas for the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12883/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 162 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 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.

I wish to advise the Deputy that, according to the Health Service Personnel Census, the number (expressed in wholetime equivalents) of occupational therapists and speech and language therapists employed in the public health service for each of the years 2000 to 2007 is as follows:

The census does not collate information in relation to the numbers of therapists recruited or vacancies. 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.