Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 19: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of new social workers appointed in 2010; the sections of the services in which these social workers have been employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1548/11]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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In accordance with the committment in the Government's Implementation Plan for the recommendations of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (The Ryan Commission), the Government provided an amount of €15m in 2010 to further the actions outlined in the Ryan Commission Implementation Plan with priority being given to the recruitment of an additional 200 social workers. Further additional funding of €9m is being provided to the HSE in 2011 in respect of Implementation Plan actions.

The Employment Control Framework for the health sector, which gives effect to the Government policy on employment in the public sector, allows for the filling of additional posts in exempted grades including Social Workers.

The HSE has advised that the number of new social workers appointed in 2010 was 203. The Executive has also advised that all social workers have been assigned positions within Social Work Departments in the Integrated Services areas. In addition, the HSE has advised that there was an increase of 358.12 WTE in the numbers employed in Children, Youth & Family Services between December 2009 and November 2010.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has approved the appointment of any senior grade posts in the Health Service Executive in 2010; if so, the number and grade of these appointments and the reason they were sanctioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1568/11]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Government has made clear that a critical part of its strategy to restore the public finances is to achieve sustainability in the cost of delivering public services relative to State revenues. To help achieve this goal, it will be necessary to restructure and reorganise the public service and to reduce public service numbers over the coming years.

The appointment of senior management posts is covered by the Employment Control Framework for the health sector. The Framework includes provision for the moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service. However, the Framework does allow for the filling of certain exempted grades and there are also grades/posts to which special provisions apply. In addition, the Health Service Executive can also make exceptions to the moratorium on recruitment under certain conditions.

Approval was given for the following appointments in 2010:

Chief Executive Officer, Health Service Executive (replacement post);

National Director, National Cancer Control Programme (replacement post);

Chief Operating Officer HSE, National Director level 1 (originally approved in 2009 to create a single point of authority and accountability for the delivery of services);

National Director, Children and Family Programmes (responsible for the delivery of a clear service model providing a safe and high quality child protection service);

Assistant National Director, National Ambulance Service (replacement post);

The HSE has advised that any other senior manager appointments within the HSE in 2010 have been as a result of redeployment of existing staff under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014.

The HSE has further advised that the new service delivery model for the HSE is based on a smaller number of area management units and consequently requires less senior managers. These positions are being filled through a redeployment process under the Public Service Agreement. Furthermore, a significant number of senior managers left the HSE under the exit schemes programme at the end of 2010.