David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

106. To ask the Minister for Health how the ongoing work being conducted by his Department and the Economic and Social Research Institute's three year programme on health reform will support in its work the new Oireachtas committee that will be established to develop cross-party consensus on the future of the health service over ten years, as per the programme for Government and Government approval; if the research undertaken to date will be made available to the committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13705/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome the establishment of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare which is a key commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government. The staffing and resourcing of the Committee is a matter for the Committee and the Houses of the Oireachtas. My Department will be happy to assist and advise the Houses of the Oireachtas, as appropriate.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

107. To ask the Minister for Health if he will make available all of the documentation provided by officials in his Department to Independent Deputies during the course of negotiations for the new programme for Government; the clinical analysis that was undertaken by his officials before any of these measures were agreed; and his views on the impact on national health policy of local agreements, which may not take full cognisance of national health policy considerations and best clinical practice. [13732/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Officials from the Department of Health met with a wide range of Deputies during the course of negotiations for the Programme for a Partnership Government. The purpose of these meetings was to provide factual information to Deputies and answer technical queries raised by them including, if requested, clinical analysis. No specific briefing documentation was drafted for these meetings.

The Programme for a Partnership Government sets out a number of commitments for the health sector. A key commitment is the establishment of an Oireachtas Committee to develop cross party consensus on the future of the health service. As I have said, I believe the health service would benefit enormously from a single unifying vision that we can all get behind and that can help to drive reform and development of the system over the next ten years.

If the Deputy has a query about a specific measure raised during the meetings, I would be happy to address it on receipt.