Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide a commitment that the planned roll out of palliative care here over a five year period is adhered to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16248/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Programme for Government, the Government has committed to removing regional disparities in the provision and funding of palliative care, and to ensuring that the needs of all those who require palliative care are met. Additional funding totalling €18 million was provided by the Government in Budgets 2006 and 2007. Budget 2008 provided a further €3m for enhanced service provision.

On the 14th September 2007, officials from the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive met with representatives of the Irish Hospice Foundation, the Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Association for Palliative Care. At that meeting it was agreed to develop a five year implementation framework for the delivery of palliative care services. At a follow-on meeting on 23rd January 2008, it was reported that good progress towards developing this framework had been made. It is intended that the document will be complete by the end of May/June 2008.

It is expected that this implementation plan will then be reflected in the HSE Service Plan each year. It is a matter for the Executive to manage service delivery, both nationally and locally, within its budget and in line with overall health policy priorities.