Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will make a quick point relating to a committee meeting we had recently. The HSE is obviously going through a fairly significant restructuring in terms of more localised services and primary healthcare. One of the section 38 and 39 organisations made the point to us that whereas in the past the organisations would have negotiated the provision of services nationally, now they are looking at multiple contract negotiations with each regional organisation or a representative from the HSE. The organisation in question was concerned about that. It was concerned about the administrative load that might put on it, and also that there would be variations in contracts, which would probably serve no one, although the idea of regional provision absolutely adapted to that area is completely accepted. Could we get a view from the board on that structural issue? Is it now being proposed that section 38 and 39 service providers will negotiate fully tabula rasa contracts with each local area? That would be problematic.