Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The acting leader of the Opposition, Senator O'Donovan, raised the issue of the schedule for the rest of the term. I will make available to the leader and the Whip what we have to date. We used to meet with the Leader and the Whip every week, but that practice has not continued. I have no problem in regard to providing the information.

In regard to the need to reconsider the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the Government has taken strong measures and formed an emergency department task force in December 2014 to provide focus and momentum for dealing with challenges presented by overcrowding. An additional €74 million was provided and ring-fenced for this. Some €44 million was allocated to the nursing homes support scheme and €30 million to cover the cost of additional transitional care beds. This additional funding comes on top of measures already taken in budget 2015, when the Government provided €25 million to support services that provide alternatives to relieve the pressure on acute hospitals. An implementation plan is being reviewed by the leadership of the HSE, completed yesterday, and it is anticipated this will be agreed and that the implementation steering group will be formed by the end of the week, with an initial meeting of the group to take place within the next ten days. Therefore, a number of actions are being taken to address the waiting list situation and the unacceptable trolley situation.

Senators O'Donovan, Hayden, Naughton, Coghlan and Leyden raised the issue of lead piping. I am glad there have been many good and new schemes in Roscommon to provide a good water supply for the people there. These are long overdue as Roscommon was neglected over many years