Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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434. To ask the Minister for Health the maximum timeframe allowed for the HSE to respond to parliamentary questions which have been redirected for response by him; if it is still 15 working days or if this has been changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39618/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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All Ministers are mandated to follow Dail Standing Order 42A which states:

"(1) Where a member of the Government (including the Taoiseach), in replying to a Question asked on notice, either - (a) states that he or she has referred or will refer the Question to a body under the aegis of his or her Department for reply (a “referred reply”), or (b) confirms that more detailed information can and will be supplied to the member in whose name the Question appears on the Order Paper at a later date (a “deferred reply”), that member of the Government shall cause such referred or deferred replies to be provided within ten days after the Question has been answered, not reckoning a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.

(2) Each and every reply received pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be included in or otherwise associated with the Official Report of the Debates (alongside the Question and the original reply) to which it relates and shall be laid before the Dáil."

Compliance with the new standing order is challenging and there is ongoing contact with the Oireachtas on this.