Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if progress is being made in respect of the need for an out of hours general practitioner service in the Tallaght, Dublin 24 region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41952/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Out of hours co-operatives allow general practitioners to put in place arrangements to provide services to their patients, while their surgeries are closed in the evenings, on weekends and bank holidays. The development of GP co-operatives is in line with the overall health service policy of strengthening primary care services and ensuring that to the greatest extent possible, people's care needs are met in the primary care setting.

Out of hours co-operatives are now in place in all Health Service Executive (HSE) areas, providing coverage in all or in part of all counties. Between 2000 and 2005 approximately €105 million was allocated to the HSE for out of hours GP co-operatives and in 2006 almost €34 million is available to the Executive for these services.

As the Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for this service, it is the appropriate body to consider the particular issue raised in the Deputy's question. 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.