Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Health if he will set out his proposals for the democratisation of the structures engaged in the delivery of the health service with particular reference to the need to replace the Health Service Executive with a more accountable and transparent body in view of the need to ensure that policies are led and driven by a combination of elected public representatives, representatives of the professions and his Department, with the objective of achieving the highest possible levels of value for money and ready access for patients to services as required notwithstanding the current economic situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29362/12]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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Question 659: To ask the Minister for Health his plans to develop national and or regional integrated healthcare strategies, combining the various aspects of the health care system and the various existing strategies which address specific aspects of healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29665/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 677: To ask the Minister for Health the way it is intended to develop policy in the health services in the future, whether by his Department, the Health Service Executive or otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29797/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 146, 659 and 677 together.

My Department has primary responsibility for advising me on issues relating to national policy development and review, while the HSE has responsibility for the delivery of health and personal social services. In line with the Programme for Government commitments, a series of legislative changes are planned to bring about radical reform of the health services which will see the introduction of Universal Health Insurance.

On 29 May, the Government approved the drafting of legislation to abolish the Board of the HSE and to provide for a Directorate to be the new governing body for the HSE in place of the Board. The intention is that the Bill will be drafted as a matter of urgency so that it can be considered by the Oireachtas as soon as possible. In tandem with the proposed new governance structures, new administrative structures will be put in place in the HSE, to reflect the need for a greater operational management focus on the delivery of key services and greater transparency about funding, service delivery and accountability.

The health reform programme is a complex and major undertaking that requires careful planning and sequencing. Detailed consideration must be given to the optimal structures for delivery of different services and to the critical inter-relationships between services as well as best practice in health care reform. These new governance and administrative arrangements represent important first steps in the process of delivering the reform agenda contained in the Programme for Government. The next steps, which will include measures to facilitate clearer and better integrated delivery and funding arrangements, are under consideration at present.