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

I can help the Senators. I indicated on Committee Stage that I would give further consideration to these amendments, which relate to how the HSE service plan deals with priorities and performance targets set by the Minister. Amendment No. 11 provides that performance targets should be included with any other information the Minister specifies should be contained in the service plan and amendment No. 12 is concerned with the service plan complying with any priorities set by him or her, which is fair enough. However, in considering them, we must examine how the Bill addresses the issues raised. In preparing the plan, the HSE must have regard to the performance targets and priorities specified by the Minister under section 31(5) while section 31(4) sets out the information that must be contained in the service plan, including under paragraph (e) any information specified by the Minister. In addition, section 31(9) allows the Minister to direct the HSE to amend the service plan if the plan has been prepared without sufficient regard to priorities and performance targets.

Section 37 of the Health Act 2004 also provides that the annual report of the HSE must include a report on the implementation of the service plan. The executive is expected to take proper account of priorities set by the Minister in delivering its services. The concerns of the Senators are, therefore, dealt with in other ways under the legislation. I do not propose to accept the amendments.