Written answers

Thursday, 2 June 2011

Department of Health

Parliamentary Questions

5:00 pm

Photo of Joanna TuffyJoanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if he proposes to reform the answering of parliamentary questions in Dáil Éireann by him and Ministers of State for his Department and to stop referring questions to the Health Service Executive for direct reply by the HSE to Deputies; his views that once a parliamentary question is in order that it should be replied to directly by the Minister himself, albeit that his reply be informed by information supplied to him by the HSE and that this includes questions about local services, local hospitals and individual cases because Deputies are mandated by their election to represent constituencies throughout the country, to raise such matters with him; when he proposes real reforms in the answering of parliamentary questions relating to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14062/11]

Photo of Joanna TuffyJoanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Health and Children, further to Parliamentary Question No.172 of 13 April 2011, in regard to his stated intention only to answer parliamentary questions about operation issues of a national nature and to refer questions about individual patients and local service issues to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to Deputies; that this is a diminution of our role as Deputies to Dáil Éireann for our constituencies, whereby we should be able to ask questions in Dáil Éireann on behalf of our constituents; that what he is proposing is not in reality a reform of the answering of parliamentary questions to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14063/11]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 144 together.

My Department receives an average of 6,000 Parliamentary Questions each year. Around 60% of these questions concern operational issues and are referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to Deputies. Many of these questions relate to individual patients and local day to day operational matters. The HSE is a statutory body with its own vote and Accounting Officer and is statutorily responsible for operational matters in the health service. There is a commitment in the HSE's 2011 Service Plan to answer 75% of questions referred to it within 15 working days.

The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments to improving the way Parliamentary Questions, Adjournment Debates etc. are dealt with. I expect that these initiatives will be progressed across all Government Departments in due course. As noted by the Deputy, since taking office I have decided that Parliamentary Questions relating to operational issues of a national scale or importance will now be answered by myself or the relevant Minister of State instead of being referred to the HSE. Whenever possible these questions will be answered on the relevant Dáil sitting day. Where this is not possible because the information is not readily available, a reply will be issued as soon as possible thereafter.

Questions concerning individual patients and operational matters relating to local issues will continue to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to Deputies. While my Department has ultimate accountability for the health services, it is my belief that a balance has to be struck between responsibility for local issues, which rests with local area service managers, and the ultimate accountability of Ministers.

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