Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to develop primary care teams in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41434/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Strategy, Primary Care: A New Direction, aims to develop services in the community to give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, health care assistants, home helps, occupational therapists and others.

It has been estimated that up to 95% of people's health and social services needs can be properly met within a primary care setting and the establishment of new Primary Care Teams can contribute greatly to enhancing community based health services in these areas. The HSE received additional revenue funding of €16m in 2006 in order to support further implementation of the Strategy. This represents a significant increase over previous years and brings the total ongoing funding for this purpose to €28m per annum.

Of the €16m provided, €10m has been earmarked to establish up to 100 primary care teams, which will include some 300 additional frontline professionals. The funding is being targeted by the HSE to provide the potential for each Local Health Office (formerly Community Care Areas) to establish up to three primary care teams. The HSE is at present in the process of finalising arrangements for the establishment of Primary Care Teams in 2006. Further funding of €10m is also being provided in 2007 to enable the full year cost of these developments to be met.

As the Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for Primary Care services, it is the appropriate body to consider the matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.