Vol. 483 No. 2
24 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the extreme inconsistency in the services provided by the health boards; if he intends to carry out a review in this regard; the proposals, if any, he has to ensure equity and consistency between health board services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19797/97]
I am not aware of extreme inconsistency in the services provided by the health boards but I will be glad to address the matter further if the Deputy is in a position to bring specific examples to my attention. I do, however, accept that service levels can vary for many reasons including demography, different pattern of eligibility, location of regional and national specialties and the extent to which a health board responds to particular needs.
I assure the Deputy that the principle of equity remains a cornerstone of our health strategy and I am committed to ensuring that access to health care is determined by need rather than ability to pay or geographic location.
