Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 37: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children with whom does responsibility lie to ensure the availability of training in all of the different surgical specialties in respect of doctors working here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4175/11]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, it is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE), in co-operation with the medical training bodies and after consultation with the Higher Education Authority, to undertake appropriate medical workforce planning for the purpose of meeting specialist medical staffing and training needs of the health service on an ongoing basis. It is also the responsibility of the HSE to assess on an annual basis the number and type of specialist medical training posts required by the health service and to put proposals to the Medical Council. Under the Act, it is a matter for the Medical Council, on foot of proposals received from the HSE, to specify the number and type of posts it approves for the purposes of specialist medical education and training.