Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 June 2012
947 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the Health Service Executive have any plans for basic grade speech language therapists recruitment; if he will confirm the number of person currently on the panel awaiting a placement; if his attention has been to the fact that in many areas within the HSE there have been vacancies for a considerable length of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27036/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has determined that, in line with its commitment to reduce the size of the public service, health sector employment numbers must be reduced to approximately 102,000 by the end of 2012.
The National Service Plan 2012 provides for steps to minimise the effect of staffing reductions on services. These include pursuing to the maximum the flexibility and reform agenda provided for in the Public Service Agreement. While the HSE has some flexibility in relation to filling posts in order to protect frontline services in so far as possible, it must still achieve the required budget and employment targets set out in the National Service Plan.
In regard to Speech and Language therapists, the HSE's National Recruitment Service (NRS) currently has a panel for this grade. Currently, there are 217 active qualified applicants on the panel, and a further 99 applicants who are dormant.
The HSE envisages that this panel will be sufficient to satisfy its needs in the short to medium term. The NRS is currently in the process of filling 13 posts at Speech and Language Therapist and a small number of developments are expected.
