Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will detail where the €15 million in savings in probity on local schemes, as outlined in the Health Service Executive National Service Plan 2013, will be applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7467/13]

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will detail where the €15 million in savings in community schemes, as outlined in the Health Service Executive National Service Plan 2013, will be applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7466/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 72 together.

The service plan for the HSE includes two amounts of €15 million to be saved during the course of 2013. Further details of these amounts will be included in regional business plans which are close to finalisation.

The €15 million related to probity is a savings target related to the purchase and use of goods in local integrated service areas, which are referred to within the HSE as "local schemes". The second target relates to a specific procurement initiative intended to deliver €15 million of value to the HSE during the course of 2013. This initiative is still under deliberation and is commercially sensitive and, as such, it is not possible to provide further details at this time.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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In reply to a written question from me on this matter on 17 January, the Minister of State said the details of the €15 million savings would be included in what he referred to as "regional business plans" anticipated at the end of January. I am not aware such plans have been issued. I must ask, because there is no end of terminology within the health sector, whether regional business plans are the same as or a part of HSE regional service plans? Are they different from or distinct from these? I have no knowledge of regional business plans, but am familiar with HSE regional service plans. Will the Minister of State clarify this for me? When will the regional service plans be published? If there are also regional business plans, what are they and when will they be published. What are we actually talking about when we talk about the savings to be made across these plans?

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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With regard to the regional business plans, quite clearly what is intended is that the HSE service plan which has been published requires a working out at regional level and obviously that work is still ongoing. It was not done by the end of January, but its completion is imminent and will be dealt with in due course. I accept it is two weeks since the end of January, but I am sure the issues will be resolved and dealt with in early course. I have some sympathy with the Deputy with regard to the nomenclature and different types of plans. It is important to know the work is done in an efficient manner. I am aware it is close to completion and people are working carefully on it.

With regard to the final issue the Deputy touched on, it would not be appropriate to give too much detail on some proposals. However, the sums it is proposed on local schemes will be achieved by ensuring the process for managing the schemes is more streamlined and undertaken in a consistent and standardised way across the country. This means the focus will be on providing appropriate services and commodities. It is intended that this budget reduction will have no impact on patient services.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome that. However, to ensure I do not go away more confused than when I came in, will the Minister of State clarify the situation with regard to regional business plans as opposed to regional service plans so as to discover whether I have been missing something all these years?

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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We will do that.