Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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251. To ask the Minister for Health to outline the details of the various health initiatives that are being supported on an all-island basis; the yearly spend on same in the past four years; his further plans for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29559/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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North-South Cooperation on health matters takes place through the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) as well as Joint Departmental Projects. There has been significant activity in cross-border health and social care activity over the last decade. Collaboration takes place on a wide range of health and social care issues including, for example, Radiotherapy Services, Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Services, Health Promotion (Alcohol, Tobacco and Obesity, Cancer Research, Food Safety, Suicide Prevention and GP out of Hours Service.

A new Radiotherapy Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry is being developed by the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland). The Radiotherapy Unit, which is due to open in Autumn 2016, will provide access to radiotherapy services to people in the north west of the island, including patients from this jurisdiction. A Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the Trust and the Health Service Executive has been agreed for the provision of services to patients from this jurisdiction. The HSE will pay the trust for the provision of these services. The Irish Government has committed capital funding of one third of the cost (up to €19m) of the project. €3m of this amount was paid in 2014, with the balance to be paid in 2015 and 2016.

There is continued engagement between my Department and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland on progressing co-operation and finding a solution for Paediatric Cardiology Services on an all-Island basis. Work is progressing on the procurement of Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) procedures in Altnagelvin for the population of the North-West. Looking further ahead, there is a recommendation to establish a joint cardiology Department between Letterkenny and Altnagelvin, which will be the first ever joint cross-border Department in medicine or surgery.

The Food Safety Promotion Board/Safefood's budget for 2015 is €7.820m (£6.334m). The Board is involved on an all-island and cross-border basis, with tasks involving food safety awareness. It has run a number of successful campaigns in recent years such as the Operation Transformation TV programme, the Community Food initiative which aims to promote greater access and availability of healthy and safe food in low-income areas and Eatright.eu a new website with a focus on healthy eating, food safety and physical activity. Safefoods’s Knowledge Networks continue to enhance linkages across the island among food safety professionals working in the food production and processing sectors, in research and academia, and the wider public sectors.

€30 million was allocated under Interreg IVA to Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT Partnership) for cross-border health and social care initiatives. Interreg IVA supported one project, diverse in nature which CAWT delivered on behalf of the two health departments north and south, across 12 strands of activity with a strong focus on improving access to services, promoting health and well-being, reducing health inequalities and promoting social inclusion.

The new Interreg V programme has been agreed and I understand a call in the health area will issue in the coming months. €53m ERDF funding will be available under the theme "Promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and any discrimination".

I am committed to continuing to work together with my Northern colleagues on issues of common concern and benefit.