Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 148: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she is satisfied that appropriate funding and services are being provided by the Health Service Executive for palliative care services in the health care system here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3073/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council on Specialist Palliative Care was established arising from the report of the national advisory committee on palliative care which is the blueprint for the development of palliative care services. The terms of reference of this council include examining, monitoring and making recommendations on the development and implementation of national policy on palliative care services for adults and children in Ireland to provide a high-quality palliative care service with equity of access based on need and availability across all regions and in all care settings.

Since October 2001, this Department provided additional revenue funding in excess of €16 million to the former health boards to develop palliative care services in line with the recommendations in the report. In 2006, a further €9 million is allocated to the Health Service Executive, HSE, for specialist palliative care, this figure includes the provision of 24 extended care beds this year in Our Lady's, Harold's Cross. Some €2 million of this is for the development of palliative home care and community based initiatives throughout the country. This level of funding will also facilitate the HSE to develop action plans in accordance with the recently published Needs Assessment on Palliative Care for Children, and to introduce targeted projects which will provide experience-based knowledge and baseline information to assist in the further development of services. In 2007 an additional €4 million is to be allocated to develop the service, giving a full-year cost of €13 million.

Under the Health Act 2004, the HSE has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the provision of palliative care services. At present the HSE is going through a process of evaluating the proposals received from local areas in relation to community based initiatives.