The whole time equivalent numbers employed in the Department of Health and Children based on the figures given to the Department of Finance CENSIS Section for the specified years are outlined below. These figures include staff employed in:
the Department of Health and Children (including the recently expanded Office of the Minister for Children)
the General Register Office
The Adoption Board
the Social Services Inspectorate
the Office of the Ombudsman for Children.
Year
|
Numbers employed in DOHC-WTE
|
end Dec 1997
|
433
|
end Dec 1998
|
433
|
end Dec 1999
|
464
|
end Dec 2000
|
483.5
|
end Dec 2001
|
567.5
|
end Dec 2002
|
645.18
|
end Dec 2003
|
649.06
|
end Dec 2004
|
625.5
|
end Dec 2005
|
609.54
|
end June 2006
|
599.87**
|
*The above figures do not include seconded-in staff.
**Includes staff transferred from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Childcare Directorate) to the Office of the Minister for Children in early 2006.
Arising from the Health Reform Programme and the establishment of the HSE some functions previously carried out by my Department have transferred or are in the process of being transferred to the HSE. This will involve a reduction of approximately 38 posts in my Department's complement of posts and a transfer of these posts to the HSE.
The initial transfer of functions to the HSE involving areas such as pensions policy, case mix and speciality costing, health promotion and hospital planning is proceeding. This matter will also be kept under constant review with a view to identifying other areas of work which are appropriate for transfer.