Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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475. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to establish a forum for long-term care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2823/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Ongoing consultation with all stakeholders and the public in general is already a standard feature of our approach across policy areas. The Minister for Health and myself as well as officials from the Department regularly meet with stakeholders from across the public, private and voluntary sector to discuss policies, services and developments including those for older people.

While consultation is, and always will remain, an important part of our approach, it would be inappropriate to delegate elements of public policy, possibly including budgetary policy, to any consultative forum, particularly where some of those represented may have a commercial vested interest in the outcome.