Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This report needs to be implemented. It contains strong recommendations on implementation. To drive implementation forward, there needs to be political buy-in. The first requirement we ask from Government is that there be strong political buy-in for this reform. If that is not present, the reform programme and Sláintecare report are not going to get off the ground. Part of that is the provision of legislation to provide accountability, governance and responsibility in our health service, which is sadly lacking. No longer can we have a shrug of the shoulders style of management whereby things that go wrong are blamed on system failure. We must have strong governance underpinned by legislation.

We need to restructure the HSE so that it is decentralised and devolved down to regions. We need new contracts, as Deputy Kelleher said, not only for general practice but also for consultants. We need an implementation office developed very quickly to drive this reform programme forward.

See this speech in context