Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when, during each year from 2005 to 2008 she has approved or will approve the annual service plan for the Health Service Executive which sets out the level of services which it is proposed to provide in any given year; the procedure for this approval; their different arrangements, which may have previously existed in some areas and for some services which have ceased to or will cease to exist as a result of her approval of the plan in each of the years 2005 to 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9006/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) National Service Plan (NSP) for 2005 was approved by me as Minister on 16th March 2005, the NSP for 2006 was approved on 22nd December 2005; the NSP for 2007 was approved on the 7th February 2007 and the NSP 2008 was approved on 10th December 2007. In addition, there was an addendum to the NSP in 2006 which was approved in July 2006, and an addendum to the 2008 NSP which was approved on 20th February 2008. These two addenda were requested from the HSE in relation to the provision of significant additional financial resources for the HSE as a result of the respective Budget Day announcements. Approval in all cases is conveyed by the issue of a letter of approval from the Minister to the Chairman of the Board of the HSE.

Under Section 31 of the Health Act, 2004 the Executive must prepare and submit to the Minister its Service Plan for the coming year within 21 days of the publication by the Government of the Estimates for the financial year. The Service Plan must, amongst other things, indicate the type and volume of health and personal services to be provided by the Executive for the duration of the plan and within the financial resources allocated to it. Once the Plan is submitted to the Minister, it must be approved or a direction issued to the HSE to amend the Plan, within 21 days. The Minister must also ensure that a copy of an approved National Service Plan is laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas within 21 days after the plan is approved by the Minister.

Since the Health Act 2004 was enacted, significant improvements have been made to the format and content of the NSP in order that it more fully and comprehensively satisfies the requirements of the Act. There is an absolute necessity for the HSE to operate within the limits of its Voted allocation in delivering, at minimum, the levels of service activity specified in its annual National Service Plan. Clearly, this means that the Voted allocations, approved employment levels and service activities — both within the HSE itself and in HSE funded agencies such as the major voluntary hospitals — all need to be planned and actively and prudently managed from the very start of the year.

The Department has an agreed monitoring framework with the HSE and receives detailed comprehensive monthly and quarterly reports from the HSE on all aspects of progression of the NSP. There are quarterly 'high level' meetings between the Secretary General of my Department and the Chief Executive Officer of the HSE, and their respective management teams, in order to discuss issues arising in relation to implementation and progression of the NSP. In addition, there is ongoing liaison and dialogue between various sections within the Department and the corresponding directorates in the HSE.

All of the approved National Service Plans referred to have provided both for the maintenance of previously existing levels of health and personal social services, and for the enhancement of those existing levels of service by various new service developments.