James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regarding amendment No. 4, the service plan is designed to take account of a number of matters and must include information on various issues. For example, it must indicate the type and volume of health and social services to be provided by the HSE during the period to which the plan relates. The proposed amendment could have unintended consequences with its emphasis on ministerial priorities given section 31 as a whole.

Regarding amendment No. 21, this is a direction on the form of the service plan and is a separate issue from a direction under section 10 which may relate to policy implementation. The current wording is clear. With regard to directions on policy implementation, the service plan must be consistent with any directions issued by the Minister under section 10. The Minister may direct the HSE to amend the draft service plan if it is not consistent with any directions issued under section 10.