Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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121. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm the status on the current embargo on new recruitment and the replacement of exiting addiction counsellors employed by the Health Service Executive addiction counsellors. [13581/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in budget 2014 that he intends to delegate greater autonomy to Departments and Agencies to manage their own staffing levels. The change from the application of a rigid employment control framework, with its particular focus on a moratorium on recruitment and compliance with employment ceilings and targets, to one operating strictly within allocated pay frameworks will allow for recruitment where it is determined that this can achieve more economical service delivery.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has advised that the HSE and Department of Health will be required to submit a 2015 Pay and Numbers Strategy. Following approval of the strategy by DPER, a letter of delegated sanction for staffing will be issued. Pending this sanction, the existing moratorium and ECF arrangements will continue to apply.

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the aspect of the question that relates specifically to addiction counsellors. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.