Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of parliamentary questions referred by her to the Health Service Executive which were replied to within 20 working days; the number not replied to within 20 working days to date in 2008; and her plans to improve on these figures. [29094/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The operation of the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the HSE (PAD) allows for the centralised receipt, assignment and tracking of Parliamentary Questions within the HSE's extensive network of operations. More generally, PAD monitors overall performance in relation to the timely issue of replies and provides a central contact for all requests from Oireachtas members for information relating to matters within the statutory remit of the Executive. It reports on a regular basis to the Chief Executive officer and his management team.

In 2007 the Chief Executive Officer of the HSE, Professor Drumm, reiterated to Oireachtas members the importance he attaches to providing replies to Parliamentary Questions and affirmed his focus on improving the turnaround time for replies to the greatest possible extent. The Chief Executive Officer circulated a briefing document to Oireachtas members which informed them of his decision to introduce a shorter time frame of 15 working days for replies from January 2008 and also outlined new accountability structures being introduced to further improve the HSE's performance in this area. In the period January to June 30th 2008, a total of 2,120 questions were referred to the HSE for direct reply. During this period 1,854 replies were issued by the Executive and of these, 1,480 (70%) of replies were issued by the HSE within the new 15 day timeframe. A further 143 (5%) were answered within 20 days. 266 replies to questions remain to be finalised.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a reply will issue from the Health Service Executive to Parliamentary Question No. 209 of 4 June 2008. [29095/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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My Department has been in correspondence with the Health Service Executive and I am informed that a response is being finalised and will be issued shortly to the Deputy.