Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Before Christmas, I co-launched with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, the dementia strategy for Ireland based on funding both from the HSE and from Atlantic Philanthropies, which would be centred on the precise points the Deputy is making to assist older people in particular to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The Deputy will see that around the country there has been a significant capital investment in community care facilities, particularly the locally based community services, which in a reformed service will mean that where people previously had to go to hospitals for many services, and even remain in hospital, much more of those could be provided at local level. That is a trend not just in Ireland, but across the world.

The Deputy referenced the issue of a shortage of consultants. I understand agreement has been reached with the Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, about the new pay scales for new consultants coming into the system. Hopefully, that will be successful because as we know, many people who graduate from our medical schools go abroad, as they have always done, particularly to the United Kingdom and the United States, for further experience but we would like to see as many of those people as possible coming home to build their careers in Ireland. It is hoped that the new consultants pay deal which has been agreed will address those issues.

Above all else, across the health system, partly because of the numbers of people returning to work and the additional buoyancy in income tax and other tax revenue, we have been able to devote additional financial resources to the health service but it is critical that we do that in a well-managed way that gets the best value and the best attention. I agree with the Deputy that once people get past the waiting list problem in most Irish hospital institutions, their experience is very good simply because of the sheer quality, dedication and hard work of all the people who work in the hospitals - the nurses, the doctors and the other staff.

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