Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health when the Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37063/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment ) Bill 2012 was published on 7th August last. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to

(i) remove difficulties in relation to the effective operation of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, in particular to urgently provide for the Minister to continue to appoint professional representatives to the Council from the designated professions under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005, whose term of office expired in March 2011, and


(ii) implement Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications in respect of the professions designated under the 2005 Act and provide a legal base for the assessment of qualifications which are outside the scope of the Directive.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health when the Health Service Executive Governance Bill will be published; when new directors will be appointed; if the roles will be advertised; the salary scales of new appointees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37064/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012 was published on 19 July 2012. The Bill provides for the abolition of the HSE Board and the establishment of a Directorate, headed by a Director General, to be the new governing body for the HSE in place of the Board. Under the Bill, the Directorate will be chaired by a Director General and will be made up of a minimum of three and a maximum of seven members. Members will be appointed from National Director post holders.

In tandem with the proposed new governance structures, new administrative structures will be put in place within the HSE to reflect the need for a greater operational management focus on the delivery of key services and greater transparency about funding, service delivery and accountability. Work is being undertaken at present to prepare the necessary detailed job specifications for the planned director posts. It is envisaged that these posts will be filled on an accelerated basis in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004. The terms and conditions for these positions will be in accordance with Government policy and will be subject to the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.