Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I am talking about the key issues, that is, the devolution of power and the introduction of legal accountability for clinical outcomes. That is what I am talking about. In the Sláintecare programme, a requirement was established for six pieces of legislation. One of those has been introduced, which reinstated the HSE board. It was crazy that this had to happen in the first place. Two of the others concern legislation on the accountability of the Minister for Health, all staff, and in particular, the accountability of senior management in terms of the spending of budgets and also, critically, clinical outcomes.

I have looked at the legislative programme. There is no indication that any work is being done on those pieces of legislation, which are regarded, and were regarded by the all-party committee, as essential to achieving the kind of reform required, that is, the devolution of power and the introduction of legal accountability for people within the health service. Can the Minister provide a reason for no progress being made in that regard?