Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the 270 social work posts called for in the recent Ryan report are excluded from the current Health Service Executive recruitment moratorium; if these 270 positions will be filled by hiring new social workers or if existing staff will be redeployed into these positions; when a new recruitment panel for social workers in the HSE will be created; when these 270 posts will begin to be filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36593/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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As part of the overall approved employment control ceiling for 2009, my Department has provided written confirmation to the HSE that the general moratorium on recruitment, promotion and the payment of acting up allowances does not apply to specific designated grades, including social worker grades. This moratorium exemption provides for vacancies in existing posts in these grades to continue to be filled. New social workers posts may also be created, up to a specified limit of 270, provided that the HSE is satisfied in each case that there is no scope to redeploy an equivalent post from the hospital sector to the primary and community care sector. This moratorium exemption provides for an increase in the number of such posts, in line with Government policy, in order to meet the requirements of integrated care delivery and primary care needs particularly in respect of children at risk, the elderly and those with disabilities. The recruitment and retention of these key front line posts, including social workers, is vital to ensure continued progress in the development of community settings.

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. With regard to a national recruitment campaign for the appointment of social workers, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.