Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Health the proposals he has to progress co-operation on a North-South basis with the delivery of health services, particularly for Border counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13772/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Cross-border cooperation on health makes sense, allowing us to pool our resources to provide better health care for all our citizens. North-South cooperation on health matters takes place through the North South Ministerial Council 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, health promotion (tobacco and obesity), cancer research, food safety, suicide prevention and GP out of hours services. Future work to deepen cooperation between both jurisdictions on rare diseases is anticipated. Further cooperation on organ transplantation is also currently being explored.

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 northwest of the island, including patients from this jurisdiction. A Service Level Agreement 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.

There is continued engagement between my Department and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland on progressing co-operation in the area of Congenital Heart Disease. Significant progress has been made in respect of establishing an all-island model of care for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). The CHD Network Board, which was jointly established in 2015, has submitted a full business case for the implementation of this model of care, and that business case is currently under consideration in both Departments.

A significant milestone in the development of a cross border cardiology service was announced in April and has been operational since last month which sees Donegal patients having access to 24/7 primary Percutaneous Coronary Invention (pPCI Services) at Altnagelvin hospital in Derry. I am delighted that this service will be available to the wider population of the Northwest.

€30 million was allocated under the European Regional Development Fund INTERREG IVA programme to Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT Partnership) for cross-border health and social care initiatives. CAWT delivered the project 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 latest European Regional Development Fund programme INTERREG V 2014-2020 has four priority areas, one of which is health. For the health priority, the funding available for the duration of the Programme is €62m, i.e. €53m EU funding and €9.35m match funding from the two member states. Projects which will receive funding under this programme will aim, like previous INTERREG programmes, to benefit the health and wellbeing of border communities.

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