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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 21, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on health last met on 12 February 2024 and is due to meet again shortly. Déanann an coiste comh-aireachta ar shláinte maoirseacht ar ghealltanais i gclár an Rialtais a bhaineann le sláinte agus faigheann sé tuarascálacha mionsonraithe ar réimsí beartais aitheanta. Déanann sé breathnú ar dhul chun cinn athchóirithe sláinte lena n-áirítear Sláintecare agus an t-athchóiriú ar sheirbhísí míchumais. Coinníonn an coiste comh-aireachta forléargas ar shláinte an phobail chomh maith. In addition to the meetings of the full Cabinet and Cabinet committees, I meet Ministers on an individual basis to focus on different issues. I meet regularly with the Minister for Health to discuss progress and challenges in the area of health, including the Sláintecare reform programme. Sláintecare is happening with the support and the oversight of the Department of the Taoiseach through the Cabinet committee on health. It is about four main things: making healthcare more affordable; making healthcare more accessible; ensuring better outcomes for patients; and reforming our health service, with a particular focus on integration and IT.

We are committed to expanding the core capacity of our acute hospitals, with more health professionals and more acute hospital beds. We have added more than 1,000 beds since 2020. We have increased the total public health sector workforce by more than 26,000 since the beginning of 2020, which includes 8,000 nurses and midwives, 4,000 extra social care professionals and more than 2,900 extra doctors and dentists, including more than 1,000 extra consultants.

There is a strong pipeline of capital projects, including several new hospitals and significant new facilities for existing hospitals. Our multi-annual approach to waiting lists resulted in an overall reduction of 27% in the number of patients waiting more than ten to 12 weeks to see a specialist or to have an operation, since waiting lists peaked after the pandemic. Waiting lists fell last year for the second year in a row and we are determined to make sure this is the third year in a row in which waiting lists fall.

The figures that matter most are regarding those who are waiting longer than ten to 12 weeks, as recommended in the 2017 Sláintecare report. The core target of achieving a 10% reduction in the number of patients breaching the Sláintecare waiting times was exceeded, with an 11% reduction achieved. The enhanced community care programme continues to improve healthcare at a more local level and alleviate pressure on hospitals. The majority of community healthcare networks, community intervention teams and community support teams are now in place and are providing care closer to home.

We are also making healthcare more affordable, at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is affecting everyone, through the removal of hospital inpatient charges, widened eligibility for the GP card and a reduced drug payment scheme threshold, among other things. Tá níos mó ná €22.8 billiún leithdháilte againn do sheirbhísí sláinte in 2024, rud a éascóidh soláthar agus leathnú leanúnach seirbhísí cúram sláinte inacmhainne agus den scoth. Ina theannta sin, tá maoiniú suntasach á infheistiú chomh maith sna seirbhísí míchumais.

Budget 2024 provides funding of hundreds of millions of euro for waiting lists; action on urgent and emergency care; investments in our workforce such as advanced practice, more college and training places and more hospital consultants; the first full-year programme of publicly funded assisted human reproduction services including IVF; further expansion of the free contraception scheme; additional staffing for CAMHS; €20 million for residential placements for children and adults; €15 million for provision of respite services; nearly €20 million for day services; €8.5 million for children's services, including new therapists; and €11.9 million for other developments, including increased PA hours for people with disabilities.

Our health and social care service has enormous challenges, but our systems are responding and have expanded dramatically in recent years. We are treating more people with better outcomes than ever before. Ireland has the highest self-perceived health status in the EU, with 80% of people rating their health as “good” or “very good”. Our life expectancy is continuing to increase and is above international averages. We are among a small group of countries where life expectancy is above 82. We continue to reduce mortality rates for stroke and certain cancers and are reporting positive trends in preventative health. Our standardised mortality rates have declined for all causes over the past decade by 10.3%.

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