Written answers

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

Department of Health

Health Service Staff

9:00 pm

Photo of Patrick NultyPatrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 563: To ask the Minister for Health if he will facilitate an exemption to the public sector recruitment ban to fill vacated posts in speech and language therapy in the Dublin North West area due to the dramatic reduction in the number of speech and language therapists in this area. [33993/11]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Employment Control Framework for the health sector exempts certain grades and posts from the moratorium on recruitment, including speech and language therapy posts. The Framework also allows the HSE discretion to fill non-exempted posts on exceptional grounds in order to maintain essential services.

The number of such exceptions must of necessity be kept to a minimum given the need to make reductions in employment numbers and associated pay savings.

In July 2011, the HSE decided to introduce a general recruitment pause to assist with addressing the serious budgetary overrun. This decision must be seen in the context of a possible full year deficit of over €300 million (at its current rate of spending) and the need for the Executive to balance its budget by the end of the year.

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