Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There was a similar question about this earlier and we will have a substantive debate, I hope, in the House tomorrow evening on the matter, but I welcome the question.

I have already spoken on this question today in response to a question from Deputy Harty, but it is important to use this opportunity again to thank and commend the committee on its work over the past year and acknowledge the thorough, open and positive approach the committee engaged in throughout this process in order to allow it to achieve this consensus report.

Regarding the Deputy's direct question, I absolutely assure him that I have read the report. Indeed, I have read it many times at this stage. I also assure the Deputy that I remain of the view that this process has provided us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our health services. People doubted that all the political parties in this House, and indeed Independent groupings, could come together and come up with a plan. With the exception of Deputy Barry, whose decision in this regard I respect, that is exactly what happened. This Government is committed to delivering real improvements in the area of health and our new Taoiseach made that very clear in one of his opening speeches last week. The report of the committee now provides us with a solid framework for delivering these improvements over the next decade.

The Deputy has rightly highlighted the issue of implementation. How we go about delivering on the report must now come to the forefront. This is acknowledged by the committee in its report when it states that "mechanisms for implementation are as important as the report's recommendations".

As the Deputy will appreciate, the report's remit is wide-ranging and its recommendations far-reaching. It is important, now that it has been published, that I give it careful and proper consideration in the context of how best we realise the vision and spirit of the report. Success will very much depend on the formulation of an effective implementation pathway. I assure Deputy Moynihan that I will move quickly on this process of consideration and following the Dáil debate that will take place in this House tomorrow I will bring proposals to Government on this very shortly.

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