Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá trí cheist agam. Ceann amháin faoin health information Bill, ceann eile faoin sale of alcohol Bill agus an ceann deireanach faoin Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2014. The health information Bill has been promised since 2001. It is supposed to govern and provide a legislative framework for health information in the health service. From 2001 until now there have been many discussion papers and submissions. Even now, 14 years later, the Bill is still in section B of the Government's legislative programme. This is obviously unacceptable. It reflects badly on successive Ministers with responsibility for health. Will the Taoiseach confirm whether the Government actually intends introducing the health information Bill? Can we be given a date for when it will be published?

The Taoiseach mentioned the Minister for Health setting out his health priorities. One of these is to reduce alcohol consumption. The Minister for Health promised legislation on the matter. A report published last week by University College Cork on hazardous alcohol consumption concluded that we need minimum unit pricing and a ban on alcohol sponsorship at sport events. The lead researcher warned that without support at the highest level for evidence-based policy, attempts to tackle Ireland's hazardous relationship with alcohol may prove futile. I have asked the Taoiseach about this several times but still have not got clarity. When will the sale of alcohol Bill be published?

The Government had a deadline of July 2014 for free general practitioner care for those under six. We were then told that it would be at the end of last year and that deadline was also missed. In December the Tánaiste said that she was confident it would be rolled out in the new year but the Minister for Health said that he hopes free GP care for under sixes will be in place by the end of this year. We have conflicting signals from the Tánaiste and the Minister for Health on all of these missed dates. The Taoiseach talks about poverty and the Government's focus. When can we expect free GP care for those under six to come into effect? When can we expect free GP care for all children of primary school age? When will this be extended to all those under 18? When will the Bill published?

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