Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Chairman and join him in welcoming the delegation. I thank Ms O'Dowd and Mr. Hennessy who led the delivery of the presentations and who are very welcome.

Most of us, in one capacity or another, have had experience of the public health nurse service. As a father of five children, I had a very happy experience of it many years ago. A friendship developed from it which remains to this day. I am sure that is replicated in the experience of many all over the country. To the delegation's professional cohort and colleagues I extend sincere thanks.

I have a number of brief questions which were triggered by Ms O'Dowd's presentation but apply to both. The delegates can offer any illumination they are happy to provide.

There are no national key performance indicators for the delivery of the school health nursing service. I ask for clarification on the issue. Does it also take on board oral health through dental care service provision for schools? Is it part of the general range of services encompassed within school health nursing services? I raise this matter because I am very conscious that another group of young people has moved from primary to second level education and there are significant levels of failure in the service to provide for the necessary public dental service checks. In one school cancellations have taken place for the second time for the same class which are now outside the system in second level where the provision longer applies. This is a very serious matter and in a way indicative of other problems, but I am particularly aware of the issue, given the closure of the primary school system last week or this week. Parents are both disappointed and concerned and many of them will not be able to afford private dental checks. I ask the delegates to elaborate on this issue.

What is necessary for the introduction of national key performance indicators? Who will be responsible? How can such a system be brought into being? What would the delegation's recommendations be to us, as elected voices in the committee, on how we can help to bring it about? I accept that it would be hugely beneficial in informing us in the future.

The delegation indicates that the parent held record, PHR, is only in use in eight former local health offices across the country. Would it be able to advise us where they are located? If the information is not included in Ms O'Dowd's notes, I understand, but perhaps she might advise us through the secretariat and Chairman for circulation to us. I am sure the delegation would recommend that we pursue that issue because clearly it is something that would be of great benefit.

I refer to the dual role of the public health nurse in regard to clinical care and public population health and well-being. The delegation is probably aware that in the context of the promised child and family agency, the role of public health nurse has been a point of discussion here. There is some difficulty in recognising how the transition will come occur and whether it will lead to a dislodgement of psychologists in the child and family agency from their peers in terms of theprovision of general psychology services across the community. Will Ms O'Dowd and Mr. Hennessy elaborate on the concerns, if any, they have in that regard? From our deliberations in recent months, I understand public health nurses are designated solely to address issues affecting children, but perhaps that is a city experience.

In my own experience in a more rural constituency, the public health nurse tends to have a variety of target service users. Two sets of experiences appear to be represented here, one from a city perspective and one from a rural perspective. Could the witness elaborate a little on that and give us her perspective on the new child and family agency relative to her professional cohort? I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee this morning.