The health service personnel census collects employment information on the basis of grade and employing agency and not on the basis of care group or speciality as sought by the Deputy. The total number of occupational therapists employed on 31 December 2004, in whole-time equivalent terms, was 704. The Health Service Executive, HSE, which was established on 1 January 2005 under the Health Act 2004, is responsible for the recruitment and deployment of staff including occupational therapists.
My Department has, therefore, requested the chief officer of each HSE area to provide the detailed information in respect of the number of paediatric occupational therapists employed in each HSE area and to reply directly to the Deputy.