Dáil debates

Tuesday, 17 December 2013

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed)

Social Partnership Meetings

4:30 pm

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I stated, responsible Ministers and the various agencies that are answerable to them have primary engagement with the social partners, and they meet very regularly. We value those discussions. I take the Deputy's point that there is clearly a need for a discussion on many issues but I do not get much chance, given my job, to do as the Deputy desires. Yesterday, however, I was in Mayo General Hospital, a level 3 hospital, to open the renal dialysis unit. I had the privilege of opening the original section in 1995. Since people had to travel to University Hospital Galway, it was necessary to open further stations and isolation rooms for people with particular blood conditions. A revamp worth €2 million was carried out on the original renal dialysis unit and there are now 15 stations. The director of the unit and her staff moved out of the hospital to a temporary location for 12 months. All their patients, who are regular visitors for dialysis, were dealt with at the alternative location. It was never a union issue and it was never stated the move would not be possible. The staff moved last Friday to an absolutely brilliant, wonderful facility with ultra-modern equipment. They are so happy about that. The morale of the dialysis team in the hospital was exceptionally strong.

I had the privilege of turning the sod for the cystic fibrosis unit at the hospital. As the Deputy knows, one in 19 people in Ireland carries the cystic fibrosis gene. Cystic fibrosis is a debilitative genetic ailment that lasts a lifetime. The Pollock report of 2005, of which the Deputy will be very much aware, clearly indicated that treatments that are separate from those in a general hospital, thus ensuring no danger of cross-infection, improve the longevity of patients and the quality of their lives. The point I am making is that the morale of those who work with the cystic fibrosis unit in the hospital was actually responsible for the raising of almost €1 million in the past five or six years. While some funds were contributed by the Department of Health and Mayo General Hospital itself, the majority of the funding was raised by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and Cystic Fibrosis West. They were absolutely focused on what they could do. When the Deputy asks whether I meet people, the answer is that I do so regularly. The question of morale and the provision of facilities is accounted for.

The health service plan will be published tomorrow. It has been finalised and it will deal with the provision of health services arising from the budget for 2014. Where are we headed? Obviously, a central part of the programme for Government is the development of universal health insurance. A first part of that is medical and free GP cards for those under six. The legislation in that regard is now being prepared.

I agree that there are elements that we need to examine. Why is it necessary to submit details on every occasion if one attends a unit five times per fortnight? We need to make a decision on the system we need to work on in terms of digital capacity. There is so much time to be saved and efficiency to be gained. There is so much real-time movement in major and smaller hospitals. The Minister has appointed some really focused people in the HSE to work on areas where we can make real improvements. As Deputy Martin knows as a former Minister responsible for health, it is ultimately a question of outcomes for patients and the quality of their lives.

What I saw yesterday, which I acknowledge was in my county, was the quite exceptional commitment of front-line staff in the areas of haemodialysis, renal dialysis and cystic fibrosis. Despite the fact that the staff of the dialysis unit had to move location and make extra journeys for sheets etc., there was never a complaint. There was never a compliant as it was said the changes were leading to better facilities for everybody. The Deputy would be very heartened if he saw the quality, space and engagement and the separation rooms for people with blood complications.

I do not disagree at all that there is need for discussion and identifying how problems can be ironed out and decided upon. I acknowledge that the forest that grew up around the HSE and health service over the years became impenetrable in many cases, and that it requires not only discussion but a decision on how efficiencies can be achieved and where savings can be made that result in better outcomes for patients. From that perspective, I do not disagree with the Deputy. However, we have moved away from the formalised structure of the past. Ministers who appear before Cabinet committees refer to their discussions with the social partners in respect of their respective areas of responsibility. This is a good way of ensuring central reporting where more than one Minister is involved and, eventually, reporting to the Cabinet. I am open to occasional engagement with people when they really want to say something directly to me as Taoiseach.

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