Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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683. To ask the Minister for Health when the commitment in the programme for Government to reintroduce the purchase treatment fund will be honoured; the date he expects patients to be referred for treatment under the fund; the financial allocation for treatments under the fund in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22864/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Currently under Regulations establishing the National Treatment Purchase Fund, it carries out two important functions. It (1) maintains and assures the quality of waiting list data nationally, working with the HSE to assist hospitals in managing demand and capacity, and providing technical guidance to hospitals to ensure high quality waiting list data management, and (2) determines pricing under the Nursing Home Support Scheme.

The expertise amassed by the NTPF in respect of waiting lists has proven invaluable in assisting the HSE to administer previous waiting list initiatives and in carrying out smaller-scale targeted initiatives in areas such as endoscopy. This Government recognises that a sustained commitment to improving waiting times is required, with a particular focus on those waiting longest. Consequently, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to €15 million funding to the NTPF to address waiting lists in 2017, as part of the Programme's commitment to a continued investment of €50 million per year to reduce waiting lists. This commitment seeks to utilise the expertise of the NTPF to further assist the HSE in addressing specific waiting list pressures.

The Department of Health is currently engaging with the NTPF and the HSE to finalise a dedicated 2016 waiting list initiative focused on endoscopy. The Department is also engaging with the NTPF and the HSE to develop plans for the effective use of the Programme for a Partnership Government funding in 2017 and subsequent years.