Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kelleher for his timely question. The Government is committed to making tangible and sustained improvements to our health services. I believe genuinely that the Sláintecare report now provides a framework and a direction of travel to do this. We have a level of consensus and support for the vision and strategic direction outlined in the report that is unprecedented in the House. I am determined to harness this consensus by working with colleagues across the political spectrum and all other stakeholders to move forward on this very important agenda.

The Government has already approved the establishment of a Sláintecare programme office. That happened at its last meeting before the summer recess. The office will be tasked with implementing a programme of reform, as agreed by Government, arising from the Sláintecare report. It will be led by a senior executive with a strong track record in implementing reform. Work is under way between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure that we are positioned to attract candidates of this high calibre for one of the largest public service reform processes ever undertaken in this State. It is essential, therefore, that we get this recruitment process right.

In parallel, work is under way in my Department to develop a detailed response to the report for consideration by the Government in December. The Deputy will remember that the report itself talks about the delivery by the programme office of a draft implementation plan by the end of the year. This plan will seek to translate the Sláintecare report into a programme of action for the next ten years. It will consider the issues that arise in designing such a programme, including key actions, deliverables, costings, timelines and key performance indicators. It was acknowledged in the Sláintecare report that more detailed consideration of these issues was required and it is important that this work is undertaken now. My Department will involve professionals with significant experience of developing implementation arrangements for major change projects.

We are all aware that there will be significant challenges to overcome to effect deep and systemic change in our health care system, but we have no choice and must begin the change process now. It is one of the Government's key priorities. The focus now must be on ensuring that the implementation phase is properly designed and that a clear implementation plan is developed as quickly as possible. As I said, I expect to have the implementation plan by the end of the year.

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