Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 13, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on health oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments in health, receives detailed reports on identified policy areas and considers the implementation of health reforms, including Sláintecare. The Cabinet committee last met on Thursday, 28 April and is expected to meet again shortly. In addition to the meetings of the full Cabinet and of Cabinet committees, I meet with Ministers individually to focus on different issues. I meet regularly with the Minister for Health to discuss priorities in the area of health, including Sláintecare and the management of Covid-19.

In 2022, we will spend a record €21 billion on our health and social care services. This will allow us to reduce waiting lists, increase capacity, protect our most vulnerable, address inequalities and deliver the right care in the right place at the right time. Work is continuing to advance a number of priority programmes of work identified in the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy and Action Plan 2021-23, including progressing six new regional health areas, waiting list reduction and taking steps towards the establishment of elective care centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway.

The years 2020 and 2021 saw record increases in the health sector workforce, and a further 1,778 whole-time equivalents have been recruited to end March 2022. This growth in the workforce has enabled the delivery of services, including the establishment of 51 community health networks, 15 community specialist teams for older people, and four community specialist teams for chronic disease management. Some 21 community intervention teams are now operational with nationwide coverage. A total of 829 acute beds have opened since 1 January 2020. Baseline critical care capacity is now 305.

A range of accessibility and affordability measures are being progressed, including funding of €30 million for new medicines in budget 2022, with 24 new medicines or new uses of existing medicines approved to date this year. The drugs payment scheme monthly threshold was reduced from €114 to €100 on 1 January 2022 and was further reduced from €100 to €80 on 1 March 2022. I refer also to the abolition of public in-patient charges for children under 16, GP care without charges for six- and seven-year-olds, increases in the fees payable to contracted dentists for a number of items, including examinations and fillings, and the reintroduction of cleaning for medical card patients. A scheme for accessible contraception for women aged 17 to 25 is due to launch in August. We will continue our investment in an expanded public health service and embed the lessons learned throughout the pandemic into our health and social care services.

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