Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 491: To ask the Minister for Health if he is in receipt of a proposal for cost saving initiative with the implementation of flexible working hours and career break schemes from the Association of Chartered Physiotherapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25662/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Employment Control Framework (ECF) for the Health Sector exempts a number of grades, including Physiotherapists, from the moratorium on recruitment to maintain essential services. While decisions on individuals applications on career breaks and flexible working remain a local staff management issue, the measures proposed by the Association are broadly permissible given the exemption in the Employment Control Framework. Since December 2009, there has been a net increase of 61 wholetime equivalents in the number of physiotherapists to August 2011 in the public health services.

In July 2011, the HSE made the decision to pause recruitment in order to assist in addressing its difficult financial situation. Notwithstanding this pause, exceptions are still being made address critical service risk.