Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It would not be within my gift to put a timeline on it. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, would have to speak to that piece. The Senator was correct in saying funding has been allocated for the e-budget. However, when there is a slippage in the numbers the Senator mentioned, one would have to ask how that happened and what the long-term costing of care is within that. Is our system not working within general practice or is it not working within the wider sphere of health? That is the first question we have to ask because that sort of leakage is unbelievable and needs immediate addressing. I will bring that matter back to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly.

However, the development of a national diabetes register remains a priority. Following substantial increase in investment in e-health, it is now being considered as part of a wider review of Ireland's health information strategy. The diabetes register, along with other specific registries, will operate as virtual registries and use existing health and social care records to enable the monitoring of the incidence and the prevalence of disease in Ireland. I acknowledge Professor Dinneen's input into this. Sometimes, we do not need to have wider registers, but we need to start with a focus group to see the results of it.