Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the review of the use of county boundaries for access to health and social services. [40605/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Government commitment states the following: "The use of county boundaries for access to health and social services will be reviewed independently, to ensure that the most efficient and cost effective service is provided to those who need it".

As I have previously stated, I do not intend to pursue further structural reforms while the work of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare is ongoing. The Committee has been tasked with developing a long-term vision and strategy for our health services and provides us with a real opportunity to achieve a sustainable political consensus on the future direction of Irish healthcare. I look forward to the outcome of the Committee’s deliberations next year.

As the Deputy may be aware, a separate piece of analysis by my Department in relation to geographical alignment of health service delivery has recently been completed and is due to be circulated to the Committee on the Future of Healthcare for their consideration.