Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

It is a framework for smaller hospitals and not a strategy. However, we have a primary care strategy and I remind the Deputy that is an 11-year old strategy. We are taking that seriously now. That is why I am very pleased we can now proceed to recruit an additional 300 people in the health service. I am glad to say that this week the HSE is engaged in drawing up the job specifications and putting together the panels to recruit those 300 people. It is a really good news story about what is happening in the health service. We will be recruiting 300 new front line people in the health service to deliver primary care. I point out that this is Revenue money - it is €20 million for 300 additional posts. The Minister, Deputy Reilly, will speak later about the capital funding. I repeat that 11 years down the road it is disgraceful that there are so few primary care centres. We will address that as a matter of urgency in the coming months.

See this speech in context