Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I am addressing the situation whereby in previous legislation, prior to delivery of the service, there was an ambiguity in terms of responsibility and delivery. Previous legislation provides for the Department with responsibility for a particular service to deliver, regardless of its ability, professionally or otherwise. The Senator will be aware of the disputes that arose with particular educational facilities which had quasi-medical facilities built in but which were not being occupied because we had no power to compel the predecessor of the HSE to deliver the services.

The regulatory framework will be addressed. The power which I, as Minister for Education and Skills, will have will be through Cabinet collective responsibility. Moneys are voted by the Oireachtas to the HSE, which has, inter alia, a responsibility to deliver these services. It was pointless us having partial responsibility and no capability. That was the stuff of turf wars, in which there was an aspiration and no capacity. That is the way this started out. The reality now, against restrained and restricted resources, is that the public organisation to which moneys are voted by the Oireachtas, which has the technical and professional capability to deliver the services, should be empowered and required to do so. I will ensure there is proper communications between the Departments of Health and Education and Skills to make this happen, thus ensuring no confusion in the legislation. This is clarification of existing legislation.