Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I emphasise the Tánaiste's commitment and mine to ensure, as part of this reform process, the new executive provides speedy responses to the queries of public representatives.

I have raised Deputy Ring's question to illustrate the nature of the difference that the Health Service Executive will make. Consider, for example, the current situation of a Deputy who has the privilege of being elected in this city. He or she must transact business with a significant number of authorities to acquire any information about the health and social services in the city. The streamlined administrative arrangements provided for in the Bill will effect a fundamental transformation in this arrangement.

The interim executive is aware of, and making plans for, the proper and effective discharge of its serious responsibilities in this area. Earlier this month, it announced that the overall structure of the executive would include an office of the chief executive officer and a corporate affairs directorate, and that responsibility for the important function of managing parliamentary affairs would be assigned by the CEO to one of these central governance areas. As we move forward, the operation of the executive's arrangements will be monitored closely and reviewed as necessary.

The provisions of section 10, which provides that the Minister may give directions to the executive and that the executive shall provide any information and statistics required by the Minister, and the provisions relating to the production of service plans by the executive, are strong accountability provisions. The Minister is politically responsible for health services to the Oireachtas. In line with the recommendations of the Brennan and Prospectus reports, the executive will be responsible to the Minister for the management and operation of the health services. The Department will be responsible for supporting the Minister and the Government in all policy matters. The lines of accountability are clear and transparent and do not leave room for non-accountability at any level.

The Bill establishes regional forums which will comprise members of city and county councils. These forums will have an important role within the new structures. They will afford local public representatives the opportunity to make a major contribution in the development of services within their region.

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