Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

It is reported today that the Health Service Executive proposes to establish nine regional authorities. Coming so soon after the establishment of the HSE, it is a clear admission of its failure to deliver quality health care, something I believe we all know in this House. Will legislation be brought before the Dáil to effect this change or will it be done by ministerial order? If it is done by ministerial order, will it be presented to the Dáil to allow for a full Dáil debate? Is it the case that any major change to the structure of the HSE must be addressed in this House given it was this House which established the HSE in the first instance?

Structural changes of themselves may or may not be the full answer. The critical deficiencies are the absence of democratic accountability——

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