Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1181. To ask the Minister for Health the assessment he has made, as a result of the implications of population or census results and analyses for Cork city, regarding the provision of health and social services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46724/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In recent years the delivery of services in the community has been reconfigured to meet population health needs. This has involved the development of Primary Care Teams (PCTs) to ensure the delivery of services by multidisciplinary teams. In 2012, the HSE completed a detailed analysis of the numbers and distribution of public health nurses, registered general nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. The analysis revealed considerable variation across the HSE’s 17 Integrated Service Areas in ratios of health care professionals to population, and to population numbers in areas of high deprivation. I issued approval to the HSE on the 27th March 2013 to commence recruitment to Primary Care Teams with immediate effect in respect of an additional 251 Primary Care posts. The allocation and distribution of these posts is based on bringing each Integrated Service Area, where staffing is below the national average, towards the national average.

With respect to the Deputy's specific question regarding Cork City, I have requested that the HSE respond directly. The provision of Social services is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection.