Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 567: To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the palliative care services and community hospitals. [12651/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Government policy on Palliative Care is based on the Report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care (2001) and the Palliative Care Services - Five Year / Medium Term Development Framework (2009-13). The health service is facing many challenges for 2012, and beyond. The recently agreed Health Service Executive Service Plan 2012 indicates services priorities for this year, including an overall provision of €78 million for Palliative Care. Every effort has been made to develop Palliative Care services, including advancing improved evidence based performance measures to benefit the sector in the future. The Plan commits, for example, to develop Palliative Care in both the Hospital, and Community based, settings. The Department of Health and the HSE will continue to work closely with all relevant stakeholders to improve these services for patients and their families, in line with overall resource availability.