Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will support a matter (details supplied). [30363/08]

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 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.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has a responsibility to deliver services in accordance with the provisions of the 2008 National Service Plan and within the financial allocation to the HSE and the Government approved employment ceiling. The recruitment of staff is an issue for decision by the HSE having regard to service priorities and allocated budgets. The HSE has a policy of prioritising the filling of frontline posts to enable the delivery of services to patients and clients.

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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 511: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when the Health Service Executive assessment will be undertaken in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30378/08]

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 case investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 512: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will support a matter (details supplied). [30380/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, 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. Therefore, the Executive 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.