John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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384. To ask the Minister for Health his views that the current moratorium on jobs within the Health Service Executive is having a serious effect on the services provided in the south east; his further views since circa 2011 there has been no speech and language therapist in the rehabilitation facility in Waterford for patients leaving Waterford Regional Hospital; if he will review the terms of the moratorium and provide funding to allow a number of posts to be funded within the region; the way in which he plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38204/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet fiscal and budgetary targets and introduced a moratorium on recruitment in the Public Service in March 2009. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction.

In order to mitigate the impact on frontline services of the reduction in employment numbers, the priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a more productive and cost effective health system. The revised working arrangements provided for in the Haddington Road Agreement are a pivotal element in this regard. It should be noted that, subject to approval by senior managers, arrangements are in place in the HSE to allow the recruitment of staff where it has been established that there is an urgent service requirement.

In respect of Speech and Language Therapy staffing specifically, there are currently 859 WTE employed in health services agencies covered by the HSE Employment Control Framework. This represents an increase of 25 (+3%) over the December 2013 figure. The Deputy will be interested to note that the recorded figure at December 2009 was 775 WTE. (+85 WTEs). It is also worth commenting that while recorded health service employment has fallen considerably, this staff grouping has increased by +25.5%, moving from 0.6% to 0.8% of the reported workforce.

In relation to the Deputy’s query regarding Waterford Regional Hospital, I have arranged for the HSE to respond directly to you in this regard.