Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason only 87 primary care teams were established by the end of 2007 despite the fact that the Health Service Executive's original target was 200. [6923/08]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the impact the recent freeze on recruitment has had on her commitment to increasing primary care capacity. [6924/08]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 189: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if all existing primary care teams are fully staffed. [6925/08]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 190: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if ongoing and in-depth public consultations with the relevant local communities were held in each area before the roll-out of the primary care teams; if opportunities for the participation of communities in the planning and development stages were created in accordance with commitments given under Action 19 of the Primary Care Strategy 2001; the number of consumer panels, community health fora or similar bodies that have been established to facilitate this consultation process; the decision-making powers that rest with the communities in relation to the way primary care services are planned for their areas. [6926/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 to 190, inclusive, together.

The Primary Care Strategy aims to develop services in the community to give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, home helps, physiotherapists, 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.

The HSE received additional funding of €40m in the period 2006 to 2008 for the establishment of some 200 primary care teams involving some 600 additional front line professionals. The Government has committed under the Towards 2016 agreement to the establishment of 300 Primary Care teams by 2008; 400 by 2009 and 500 by 2011. A review of these targets is due to be undertaken in 2008.

Action 19 of the Primary Care Strategy commits to the involvement of communities and service users in the planning and delivery of primary care services. It is important that the HSE develops practical and effective ways to bring this about. The recruitment pause put in place in September 2007 was initiated as part of the HSE financial break-even plan to facilitate the delivery of services on budget in accordance with the provisions of the 2007 National Service Plan. During this period, the HSE put in place a derogation process to deal with the filling of essential posts to protect front-line services and close to 900 posts were approved under this process.

I understand that this temporary pause in recruitment ended on 31st December 2007 and that recruitment of the additional staff for the 2006 phase of Primary Care Team development is proceeding subject to the provisions of the employment control mechanism operated by the HSE. As the Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for Primary Care Services, it is the appropriate body to consider the particular matters raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have these matters investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.