Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health with reference to the public service reform document published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on 17 November 2011, Appendix IIa, Bodies to be rationalised, Amalgamated or Abolished in 2012, the progress that has been made on those bodies; the changes that require legislation; the expected timeframe for conclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4289/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Public Service Reform document on 17th November 2011 identified three agencies under the aegis of this Department to be rationalised, amalgamated or abolished in 2012. The National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery was dissolved on the 31st December, 2011. In relation to the Opticians Board, a Working Group was established in 2010 to provide legislatively for the subsumation of the Opticians Board into the Health and Social Care Professionals Council. It is expected that the draft heads will be available during 2013 for Ministerial approval as part of the Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2013 and rationalisation of the Opticians Board is expected during 2014. With regard to the National Cancer Registry Board, with the ongoing changes to the structures of the HSE, in order to safeguard the functions of the Registry I consider that it would not at this stage be appropriate to subsume the Registry into the National Cancer Control Programme.