Dáil debates

Thursday, 10 October 2019

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

12:00 pm

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If there is clarity on that in the Minister's office, I will forward it to the Deputy but if we are going to pass legislation, we must make sure resources are available to deliver it, otherwise, something will be passed that cannot be delivered, which does not make sense. If we introduce legislation to protect patients and ensure that targets are met, we must also make sure the resources are in place, including both human and capital resources, to make it happen. This budget will result in 1,000 additional staff based in the community. Recently, an additional €20 million was provided for the Sláintecare integration fund. There is also a significantly increased input from GPs in improving community care and keeping people out of hospital so that we can create space for the kinds of elective treatment to which the Deputy Harty referred. That reform is under way and those funds are supporting the reform programme. In the context of the legislation to which he referred, we must make sure that if we are going to pass laws, we have the resources in place to ensure compliance with them.

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