Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of staff employed by her Department on 1 January 2009; and the number of staff employed on 10 December 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47799/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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There were 529.31 WTEs employed in my Department at the beginning of 2009. An additional 24.17 WTEs transferred into my Department during the year as a result of the transfer of youth affairs responsibilities from the Department of Education and Science, other functions from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the dissolution of the National Council on Aging and Older People and the Women's Health Council under the rationalisation of agencies programme.

Even allowing for these additions, the overall number of people employed at the end of November 2009 had fallen by 40.03 WTEs to 489.28 WTEs. This represents an overall decrease of nearly 8% since the start of the year. Staffing levels in my Department over the coming years will be decided in consultation with the Department of Finance and taking account of the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes. Account will also be taken of the outcome of the review of my Department under the Organisational Review Programme (ORP), which is being carried out under the aegis of the Department of An Taoiseach. The ORP Report on the review of my Department is expected shortly.

The distribution of staffing across the Department at the end of November is as follows:

Serving numbers in my Department are collated at the end of every month and the December 2009 figures are not therefore available yet .