Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When Deputy Martin asked me the question last week about the statutory instrument, I could not recall exactly the nature of the instrument or when it was laid before the Dáil and I promised to revert to him. He is aware that all statutory instruments refer to a legal base. There is no legal base to a primary care Act, so in terms of statutory instruments they refer specifically to narrower confines. However, primary care, no more than public transport or any other issue, covers a range of activities.

I can confirm to Deputy Martin that the position is that issues which were raised in recent days about the pharmaceutical industry and the cost of drugs, insurance claims and the issue concerning consultants being re-rostered and the substantial savings that will accrue over the coming years have all been the focus of pretty intense negotiations with conclusion in areas of these in the past period and with more to come. In respect of the primary care centres, when I addressed this matter last week, I told Deputy Martin they were in different sectors, in that leases were involved in some, direct Exchequer funding was involved in others and, in some cases, the primary care centres would be provided under a public private partnership, PPP, system. This is all part of the stimulus package of more than €2.5 billion brought forward by the Government which covers the areas of transport, health, justice and education, as well as the major development at Grangegorman. The entire seamless package was announced by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and, obviously, was approved by the Government.

From his own experience, the Deputy is aware of the value of primary care centres and how fundamental they are to providing a proper health system and health structures nationwide. I have visited a number of such centres myself, including one in Deputy Calleary's native town, which is very efficient and competent.

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