James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have no wish to enter into argy-bargy with the Deputy opposite and I know that is not the tenor of his comments. However, I must point out that in my initial answer I stated that the deprivation index was but one of three criteria used in this process. There were also the service priority as identified by each integrated service area or local health office, and an accommodation assessment. These are three criteria that were used. What happened then was that the deprivation index was given a weighting, or multiplication, of three, which resulted in a considerable change in the prioritisation.

I put it to the Deputy that by broadening the criteria to take into account the issues I have mentioned to him - namely, the availability of or lack of health facilities in the area, accessibility to those facilities by way of public transport and the population-to-GP ratio - one gets a much wider and, in my view, fairer balance. If we were to use only the deprivation index it would have a very strange effect. In fairness to the then Minister of State, now Deputy Shortall, she did not do this but used two other criteria. I used additional criteria which I believe are also fair. In the Minister of State's resignation statement this issue is not mentioned per se.

I wish to put on record, if I may, my gratitude to the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, for the hard work she did and the commitment she had to primary care, a commitment I share. I welcome the nomination of Deputy Alex White to the Department of Health. I know he will continue the work done by the former Minister of State - particularly, I hope, the great work she did in regard to alcohol, that scourge of a problem we have in this country. I hope her work in this area will be carried on by the new Minister of State, Deputy White. I have no doubt he will be as committed to the full range of issues as Deputy Shortall was.

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