Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate our guests for embracing the task ahead of them in a positive way, identifying targets in a realistic way and setting about their job in a practical way. They are to be congratulated. It is very easy to sit by and criticise the system and say that somebody should do something. Oscar Wilde said that duty is what we expect of others but not necessarily of ourselves. Our guests have embraced the mission with decisiveness, clarity and a sense of purpose.

Are our guests satisfied with the progress of the action plan in meeting their targets so far? Has the progress been in line with their expectations? Is the progress that has been made on track to achieve the expectations next year and in subsequent years?

What has been the impact on the delivery and co-ordination of activity in the system since the appointment of the new board of the HSE? One of my colleagues will deal with the governance of e-pharmacies and I will leave that.

The enablers that have been put in place seem to be embracing and comprehensive. Other issues will arise as Sláintecare evolves but have any arisen so far?

The postgraduate medical education strategy is an issue that has come up on a number of occasions as requiring urgent attention. Are our guests satisfied that the required attention is being given to the issue as a means of addressing a whole series of issues that may arise down the line?

How is the single assessment mechanism progressing? Is it in line with expectations? Are there any snags? Can it be improved? If not, why not?

I am also concerned about access to hospitals. Senator Colm Burke referred to nursing homes and dietary issues. Dietary issues seem to be important for older people who are long-stay patients in hospitals. The extent to which an appropriate diet is available to such persons seems to be much more important than we, or at least I, first anticipated. This committee will meet some people on that issue in the not so distant future and that will hopefully be of benefit in improving quality of service and quality of life and health for people who are either in care at home or in nursing homes. Sufficient emphasis has not been placed on dietary issues in the past. From what we now see, hear and read, that is an area in which we can contribute greatly, at little cost, to an area that could relieve the burden on many aspects of services in many ways.