Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children. I thank the Deputy for raising it. This provides me an opportunity to update the House on this matter and to outline the position, especially in regard to the handling of parliamentary questions by the Minister for Health and Children. Approximately 6,000 parliamentary questions are tabled each year to the Minister, of which approximately 60% relate to operational issues, which are referred to the HSE for direct reply to Deputies. These questions refer to individual patients and day-to-day operational matters. The HSE is a statutory body with its own Vote and Accounting Officer and is statutorily responsible for operational matters in the health service. There is a commitment in the HSE's 2011 service plan to answer 75% of the referred questions within 15 working days.

A number of initiatives have recently been undertaken by the HSE to help improve response times to parliamentary questions. These include the introduction of a new IT system - due to go live shortly - the appointment of regional co-ordinators and the introduction of a dedicated web page for Oireachtas Members. The programme for Government contains a number of commitments to improve the way parliamentary questions, Adjournment debates, and so on, are dealt with. I expect that these initiatives will be progressed across all Departments in due course.

Since taking up office, the Minister has decided that parliamentary questions relating to operational issues of national scale or importance will be answered by him or the relevant Minister of State rather than being referred to the HSE. Whenever possible, these questions will be answered on the relevant sitting day. Where this is not possible because the information is not readily available, a reply will be issued as soon as possible thereafter. The Minister made it clear that he has ultimate accountability for the health services. However, this does not mean local service managers can abrogate their responsibility and accountability for local operational matters. Deputies will appreciate, therefore, that a balance has to be struck between local responsibility and the Minister's ultimate accountability.

With regard to Kenmare Community Hospital, a tender process has been conducted by the HSE and planning permission received. Contracts have not yet been signed with the successful bidder. Capital developments such as the proposed community nursing unit at Kenmare, County Kerry, must be considered in the context of the overall HSE capital plan. This is a multi-annual programme which is developed over a rolling five-year period. In drawing up its capital programme for the current 2011-2015 period, the HSE is required to prioritise capital infrastructure projects within the overall capital funding allocation.

Given the contractual commitments in place, limited funding will be available for new contracts before 2014. The HSE has submitted its draft capital plan for the period 2011-2015. It is essential to assess all projects on their merits, other than those where existing contractual commitments are in place, to ensure the limited capital funding available goes to developments of the highest national importance. This draft plan is under consideration and requires the approval of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, together with the consent of the Minister for Finance. Details of the plan will be published by the HSE following its approval.

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