Written answers
Tuesday, 14 June 2005
Department of Health and Children
Departmental Correspondence
9:00 pm
Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Question 233: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, further to Parliamentary Question No. 175 of 11 May 2005, the reason no reply has yet issued to this Deputy; her views on whether it is acceptable that Members of Dáil Ãireann go to these lengths to obtain basic information from the health services; if she has satisfied herself with the level of competency of senior management of the HSE in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19434/05]
Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context
As the Deputy is aware, the Health Service Executive came into being on 1 January, 2005. My Department has made inquiries with the HSE and was told that, on foot of the referral to the HSE of her Question of 11 May, a reply issued to the Deputy in the past week.
My reply to the Deputy's question of 11 May informed her that steps were being taken within the executive, including the recent establishment of a parliamentary affairs division, to strengthen its capability to provide information to members of the Oireachtas. As stated in the executive's service plan for 2005, this is a priority area of work for its corporate affairs directorate. I am satisfied that, in the organisational arrangements currently being made to complete the transition to the unitary system, due importance and attention is being given by the executive to enhancing its capacity to respond in an efficient and timely manner to requests for information from members of the Oireachtas.
No comments