John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 249: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she is satisfied with the timeframe within which the Health Service Executive responds to members parliamentary questions; her views on imposing a timeframe within which the HSE should respond to members queries and parliamentary questions; if she will investigate the reason a response given by her to a parliamentary question on 7 July 2009 has not been responded to by the HSE; if she will request that the response be issued; if guidelines relating to these matters have issued to all sections of the HSE dealing with queries or parliamentary questions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36680/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Responding to the information needs of the Oireachtas and the public is a priority for my Department and is a regular agenda item at meetings between myself and the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Service Executive.

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 2008, a timeframe of 15 working days for replies was introduced for Parliamentary Questions referred to the Executive for direct reply. The most recent statistics provided to my Department by the Executive show that in the period from January to October 6th 2009, 62% of questions referred to the Executive were answered within the 15 day timeframe. A further 4% were answered within 20 days. 71% of referred questions were answered within 30 days. I will continue to stress the importance of meeting the 15 day timeframe at my regular meetings with the CEO of the HSE.

The Deputy tabled three questions on July 7th 2009 which were referred to the HSE PAD for direct reply. The numbers of these questions were 27145/09, 27256/09 and 27820/09. I am advised that responses to all three of these questions have issued and are dated 20th July, 29th July and 5th August respectively. I will be happy to provide the Deputy with copies of these responses if necessary.