Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

They are all fair questions. We fund the HSE and ask the executive to set targets and then agree to them. The HSE has to transpose them and the resources provided into its community health organisations, CHOs. I will ask the HSE to send a note to the Deputy detailing exactly what the increases mean for each CHO and answering the public versus private question.

The Deputy and I discussed the issue of staffing during the last oral parliamentary questions session. I think it is fair to say she is of the view that it makes sense for the HSE to directly employ people to deliver primary care centre services, be they nurses or other health care professionals. Instinctively, I agree with the Deputy. I have spoken to GPs, the Irish Practice Nurses Association and others about the issue. There is a view among GPs that while they have significant responsibilities as employers, one should not have to be a great SME-owner to be a great GP. That is certainly an issue. Furthermore, traditionally practice nurses have not had access to the same level of support that is available to nurses in acute hospital settings. While I do not want to get into the industrial relations issues in detail, HSE-employed nurses, for example, have access to postgraduate education and funding for same, but that option is not available to practice nurses.