John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to appoint a permanent consultant child and adolescent psychologist in the north west region in view of a growing crisis in child and adolescent mental health services in this region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21796/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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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 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. The Executive, therefore, is the appropriate body to consider the particular case 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.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 208: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of clerical staff and general operatives employed by the Health Service Executive from outside of this country; the location where they are employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21815/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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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.

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.