Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In terms of legislative priorities, I have recently finalised my draft 2024 legislative programme. My department's programme and the programmes of all other departments will be considered at Cabinet and once agreed, will be published online by the Office of the Chief Whip.

In terms of policy priorities, my goal is high quality, affordable healthcare for everyone when they need it – or universal healthcare. To achieve this, we have been following a clear plan. I have been increasing the capacity of our health service to treat patients while fundamentally reforming how and where that care is delivered. Our focus has been on reducing costs for patients, improving services for patients and speeding up access for patients. Inpatient hospital charges have been abolished, saving people up to €800 a year. Free contraception has been rolled out to women up to the age of 30. Half a million more adults and children are eligible to access free GP care. We have just introduced state-funded IVF for the first time. The maximum amount that people now pay on their monthly medicines bill has been cut from €124 to €80 per month under this government. We have allocated unprecedented funding to our national clinical strategies. Our healthcare workers are delivering a revolution in women’s healthcare. This includes opening of new menopause clinics, fertility hubs, specialist endometriosis centres, and same day see-and-treat gynaecology clinics all over the country. New treatments and services are becoming available for the first time in various areas, while existing services are being expanded in cancer care, maternity, trauma, home care, cardiology and in our ambulance service. Last year waiting lists fell for the first time since 2015. They will fall again this year and our focus is on the Sláintecare target (10/12 weeks). Since early 2020, we have added 24,000 healthcare workers, 6,889 extra nurses and midwives, 3,728 additional health and social care professionals and 2,769 extra doctors and dentists. We have increased acute hospital bed capacity by over 1,070 beds. We have significantly increased ICU bed capacity. We are also improving productivity in our health service. Improving access for patients; improving outcomes for patients; and improving the efficiency/productivity of our health service will be my priorities in 2024.