James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the programme For Government commitment to improve general practitioner cover by developing primary health centres in socially deprived areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26760/08]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 244: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the programme for Government commitment to ensure there is a primary care team serving every community, with particular reference to new and rapidly growing areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26762/08]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the programme for Government commitment to include an extension in front-line posts in primary care teams to ensure integrated, accessible services for patients in the community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26763/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 242, 244 and 245 together.

The key objective of the Primary Care Strategy is to give people direct access to integrated multidisciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, home helps and others. Membership of primary care teams and networks are drawn from existing professional and other staff working in primary, continuing and community care services. 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. In line with the Agreement, a review of these targets is currently under way.

There have been substantial enhancements in the services provided in primary and community care settings along with corresponding increases in the numbers of staff concerned. At this stage, the main focus needs to be on the reorganisation of existing services and staff into primary care teams and networks. This requires changes in work practices and reporting relationships, with an emphasis on joint working by various health professionals. It also requires significant work in mapping and profiling of areas. Work under many of these headings is well advanced and I am pleased with the level of interest in, and engagement with, primary care teams among general practitioners. I understand that some 500 GPs are involved in the development of teams, with a further 700 projected to become involved.

Specific additional funding was provided each year between 2006 and 2008 to facilitate the roll-out of extra primary care teams. Some of this funding was used to appoint extra frontline professional staff. The HSE has advised me that it was unable to use the remaining funding as planned because it had to cover higher than anticipated costs in other parts of its services, particularly in acute hospitals, within its overall budget allocation. Clearly, the HSE has to operate within the resources made available to it in any given year. However, this should not mean that new funding provided by the Government for specific service enhancements is redirected to other purposes. I have emphasised to the HSE the importance I attach to the continued development and roll-out of primary care teams.