Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 10, inclusive, together.

Cabinet committee E last met on 22 November 2018. A date for the next meeting has not yet been scheduled. However, I met trilaterally with the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, to discuss health issues last week. In addition to the meetings of the full Cabinet and Cabinet committees, I often meet with Ministers on an individual basis to focus on particular issues. In this regard, I regularly meet with the Minister, Deputy Harris, to discuss issues relating to our health service.

The Government's continuing commitment to improve access to health and social services for the people of Ireland through investment across community and hospital services is reflected in the significant increases in health investment in recent years. This year will see the highest ever level of health funding in the history of the State at around €17 billion. We have also committed €11 billion in capital investment over the next ten years in the national development plan.

However, in order to ensure meaningful and sustained improvement in the health service over the coming years, we also need to deliver a major programme of reform. The publication of the Sláintecare action plan for 2019, the first of what will be annual plans, sets out in detailed and measurable ways how the ambitious ten-year reform programme can be delivered and advanced this year. The first quarterly report has been completed and quarterly reports will now go to Cabinet.

An agreement has also been reached with the Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, on a major package of GP contractual reforms that will benefit patients and make general practice a more attractive option for doctors. This runs to a 40% increase in funding for general practice over the next three to four years.

The Minister, Deputy Harris, also recently launched the €20 million Sláintecare integration fund for new models of health and social care, which will help share and scale up examples of best practice and encourage innovations in the shift of care to the community. On 1 April, primary care enhancements announced in the budget came into effect. These include reduced prescription charges for people aged over 70 with medical cards and reduced drug payment scheme charges and ceilings for those who do not have medical cards. A 10% increase in the GP-visit card income thresholds also came into effect, meaning that more low-income families will qualify for free GP healthcare.

A new HSE board has been appointed and is being established in law to strengthen the management, governance and accountability of the HSE. Appointments to the board have been made on an administrative basis after these positions were advertised through the State board process operated by the Public Appointments Service. Following an open competition by the Public Appointments Service, Mr. Paul Reid has been appointed as the new director general of the HSE and is expected to take up the position on 14 May.

Finally, a new contract for staff nurses has been agreed with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, SIPTU and others following discussions at the Labour Court. This will result in an increase in pay for staff nurses, but also some important changes in work practices.

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