Health Board Staff.

Thursday, 28 October 2004

Questions (67)

Seymour Crawford

Question:

56 Mr. Crawford asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the additional number of employees across all grades that will be employed to get the HSE up and running; and if these employees will come from the ranks of existing employees in the health services. [26200/04]

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Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children (Ms Harney)

The Health Service Executive, HSE, will assume responsibility for the direct management of existing health board personnel and the staff of certain specialist health agencies — approximately 65,000 staff in whole-time equivalent, WTE, terms from 1 January 2005, following the dissolution of the health boards and the integration of the functions of the specialist agencies concerned into the structures of the HSE. While a limited number of top-level appointments in the HSE are being filled from open competition, it is not envisaged that the establishment of the HSE will give rise to the requirement for additional health service staff.