Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Health the number of vacancies in speech therapist and occupational therapists throughout the country due to the recruitment moratorium; and the impact this is having on the level of services. [26282/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Employment Control Framework for the Health Sector exempts a number of grades, including Speech & Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists, from the moratorium on recruitment to maintain essential services. The HSE does not collate data nationally on vacancies for Speech & Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists. However, the following table shows that Speech & Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists have increased by 104 and 73 whole-time equivalents respectively since December 2009.

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.