Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 169: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on efforts to provide an out of hours general practitioner service on the campus at Tallaght Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11647/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Act 2005 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver or arrange to be delivered on its behalf health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for out of hours co-operatives. Between 2000 and 2004 a total of €72.882 million was allocated to the Health Service Executive for out of hours co-operatives and €31.98 million has been included in 2005 in their baseline funding. These figures do not include the fees of the participating doctors.

The areas to be covered by co-operatives and any expansions are decisions for the relevant area of the Health Service Executive, having regard to the strategic, financial and other issues involved. Accordingly, my Department has referred the question raised by the deputy to the chief officer of the Health Service Executive's eastern region for investigation and direct reply.