Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of physiotherapists currently employed or contracted by the Health Service Executive in each HSE region; her plans to increase this number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34690/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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My Department has written to the Health Service Executive setting out the overall approved employment control ceiling for 2010. As part of this approval, written confirmation has been provided to the HSE that the general moratorium on recruitment, promotion and the payment of acting up allowances does not apply to specific designated grades. Delegated sanction has been given to the HSE for the creation and filling of frontline posts, including physiotherapy posts. The approval indicated that vacancies in existing posts in these grades may continue to be filled. New posts may also be created in these grades, up to a specified limit, 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 physiotherapy 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.

With regard to the number of physiotherapists currently employed in each HSE region, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.