Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Military medical services and their facilities exist to maintain the health of the Defence Forces and to support them in operational and overseas activities. The focus of the military medical service is on primary care, occupational medicine, acute trauma management, preventative medical programmes and field medical training.

The challenges in the medical arena have been recognised for some time and a review of the provision of medical services, in association with the representative associations, is ongoing as part of the modernisation agenda for the Defence Forces. In view of the complexity of the challenge facing the Defence Forces in this area, I decided to engage consultants to make recommendations on the best means of meeting their medical requirements. The consultancy will focus on the sustainable provision of the relevant medical expertise and services to the Defence Forces.

The consultancy is expected to deliver the following items: a review of the medical input required for the Defence Forces in the light of their roles and operations, an assessment of the current arrangements for the provision of medical services, a recommendation regarding sustainable future provision of the required medical input,and a work plan, outlining the main projects necessary, with timescales and a costing matrix for the implementation of recommendations.

It is expected a contract will be awarded shortly and I expect the report to be delivered before the end of the year. I eagerly await receipt of the report and I assure the House that following consideration of the recommendations I will publish the report and engage with all of the key stakeholders on the way ahead.

The development of the medical corps forms part of An Agreed Programme for Government. I am committed to providing a sustainable medical service to meet the needs of the Defence Forces both at home and abroad. Notwithstanding the current situation I can assure the House that Defence Forces personnel requiring medical treatment are getting the care they need.

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