Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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638. To ask the Minister for Health if he evaluated the full extent and costs of a comprehensive health service in the future; his views on the matter with regard to demographics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21358/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government has embarked upon a major multi-annual programme of health reform, the aim of which is to deliver universal healthcare, where all people can access the health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while ensuring that the use of these services does not expose them to financial hardship.

In April 2014, the White Paper on Universal Health Insurancewas published. Following its publication, the Department of Health initiated a major costing project, involving the ESRI, the Health Insurance Authority and others, to examine the cost implications of a change to the particular UHI model proposed in the White Paper.

The reports detailing the estimated cost of this UHI model were published on 18 November 2015. Having considered the findings, it was concluded that the high costs associated with the White Paper model of UHI are not acceptable and that further research and cost modelling in relation to the best means to achieve universal healthcare were needed.

The current programme of work for the ESRI Research Programme focuses on the development of a medium-term projection model for healthcare demand and expenditure, which includes analysis of utilisation and unmet need, with a particular focus on demographic trends. Separately, my Department is part of the SWITCH Research Programme which enables the Department to estimate the impact of changes to health policy on the population. While these various projects each have value in their own right they are also relevant to work on universal health care.

The results of this research will be published by the ESRI in the normal way. The Deputy will also be aware that the Dáil has recently established an Oireachtas Committee to develop cross-party consensus on a single unifying vision for healthcare, which will be considering how our health services can develop in the face of emerging demographic trends.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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639. To ask the Minister for Health to set out his vision for the future of the public health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21359/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Government makes clear its commitment to universal healthcare. In particular, the Programme states that efforts to increase access to safe, timely care as close to patients’ homes as possible is a priority for Government.

I fully support the goal of universal healthcare. I have already said that universal healthcare cannot be achieved overnight. Rather, it must be viewed as a direction of travel involving a step-by-step approach to implementing key initiatives that pave the way to universal healthcare.

Among the key building blocks for universal healthcare are:

- the strengthening of primary care and improved management of chronic diseases;

- the introduction of more efficient payment systems such as activity-based funding;

- the creation of Hospital Groups and Community Healthcare Organisations;

- implementing Healthy Ireland;

- the introduction of a wide-ranging package of patient safety reforms;

- strengthening ICT, and

- the maintenance of a vibrant and sustainable health insurance market.

Work is progressing on these various initiatives, including the introduction of GP care without fees for children under the age of 6 years and all people aged 70 years and over. As well as representing major building blocks for universal healthcare, they comprise important initiatives in their own right with the potential to drive performance improvement and deliver significant benefits in terms of timely access to high quality care.

I was particularly pleased with the recent establishment of the All Party Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare, as set out in the Programme for a Partnership Government to develop a single long-term vision for healthcare over a 10 year period with cross party agreement. My Department will assist and advise the Committee, as appropriate.