Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he envisages the moratorium on care assistants being lifted; if so, the date of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42403/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to a reduction in public service numbers to 282,500 by 2015. The health service must make an appropriate contribution to this reduction. The employment target for the health service is approximately 102,000 for the end of this year. While the HSE has some flexibility in relation to the filling of exceptional posts, the HSE introduced a pause on recruitment in July of this year due to the serious budgetary situation being faced.

Therefore, decisions on the filling of vacancies of care assistant, or other posts in the health service, must have regard to the need to reduce employment levels and the requirement to meet budgetary targets. However, the Public Service Agreement allows the HSE to redeploy staff based on service need.