Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1440. To ask the Minister for Health the areas throughout the health services in respect of which he is most concerned in respect of the ability to deliver to the public a quality service in line with international best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33785/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Access to services in a timely way is a priority of this Government, and waiting lists continued to grow during the past few months, as a result of the postponement of some elective care, due toCOVID-19.

The implementation of Sláintecare, the all-party Oireachtas policy to deliver a healthcare system for the population of Ireland, that offers the right care, in the right place, at the right time, by the right team, at low or no cost to the citizen, is central to the delivery to the public of a quality health service in line with international best practice.

The Government, as set out in the Programme for Government, is fully committed to the implementation of Sláintecare and has made €1.353 billion available in Budget 2021 for Sláintecare related programmes. An Interim Report updating progress in 2020 will shortly be published by the Government. This report will also point to the key focus areas for Sláintecare in the period 2021-2023, namely, (1) Keeping people well at home or near home, out of hospital and living independent lives; (2) Help achieve waiting list targets, through implementing the Department of Health’s Capacity Review 2018 plan; and (3) Devising a citizen care masterplan for universal eligibility and multiannual health funding.