Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Tánaiste indicated in her ten-point plan the short-term measures she wishes to take to deal with those aspects of the service causing greatest difficulties. It is her intention that they will make a difference. She is in the process of getting on with that with the HSE, hospital management, staff and unions to ensure that happens successfully. However, there is a whole range of issues that are inter-dependent in terms of the proper delivery of our health services. It is clear that the availability of general practitioners at all times for primary care services is critical, as is the need to internally reorganise the way we deliver those services within the acute hospital sector. If we can provide the necessary environment and co-operation for that to happen, we can and will see real improvements because the resources have been improved and will be further improved in the future.

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