Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 481: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of parliamentary questions directed to her Department for 2008 which have been subsequently redirected to the Health Service Executive for reply; the total number of questions submitted to her Department in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1823/09]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 482: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the average time for a reply to a parliamentary question to the Health Service Executive in 2007 and 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1824/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 481 and 482 together.

A total of 6,139 parliamentary questions were directed to my Department in 2008. Of these, 3,544 were referred to the HSE for direct reply. In 2007, the Executive aimed to operate within a timeframe of 20 working days from the date of answer of a parliamentary question for the issue of a final reply to a deputy. This target was reached for 65% of referred questions. From January 2008 the HSE's Chief Executive Officer introduced a shorter timeframe of 15 working days for replies to parliamentary questions and this target was reached for 73% of referred questions.