There has been only a small reduction in staff at the Department of Health since the HSE was established, new figures show.
Figures provided in reply to a parliamentary question from Labour Health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan, show there has been a reduction of just 38 posts at the department since the executive was established. Moreover, 17 of the 38 moved to the HSE from the department.
The figures also indicate the approved staff complement for the department remains at 530 posts, even though many functions previously carried out by the department were transferred over to the HSE.
Ms O'Sullivan has called on Minister for Health Mary Harney to clarify why there had been virtually no reduction in staff levels in her department.
"One would have thought that the transfer of such a major part of the workload would have freed up a significant number of department staff and made them available for transfer elsewhere. I think the taxpayers are entitled to know why this has not happened," she said.
