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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 Mar 2012

Vol. 759 No. 2

Topical Issue Debate

Broadcasting Legislation

I realise the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has been particularly busy in recent times but I refer the Minister of State to a suggestion in the form of a proposal currently under discussion by the BAI, namely, the children's commercial communication code, under section 42 of the 2009 Act, which, if implemented, will in effect ban the advertising of cheese on television and radio before 9 p.m. This is a case of regulation and bureaucracy gone mad and I ask the Minister of State present to use his good offices to introduce an element of common sense into this debate.

I agree with a recent submission by the National Dairy Council and with the Irish Farmers Association that in this case the BAI should row back. There is very little in terms of link between moderate consumption of cheese products and obesity. I am very surprised at the level of bureaucracy involved in that cheese, as a product, should be treated in the same way as sugary confectionery or Coca-Cola. There is a certain nutritional value attached to cheese; I refer specifically to the calcium content therein. If cheese is banned as unsuitable viewing before 9 p.m. we are sending out the wrong message, with particular reference to our thriving dairy industry, jobs, targets and investment under Food Harvest 2020.

There are 34,000 jobs in the dairy industry. Its exports are worth €2.6 billion to the economy and the target under Food Harvest 2020 is to double this in the coming eight years. Teagasc recently invested €1.5 million in the development of new cheese products, mainly for our export market. If we put cheese in the same bracket as junk food, we will do ourselves and our industry a great disservice.

I ask that the importance of the dairy industry be fully recognised, as it is by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I ask that this recognition extend to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, whose Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, is present. I ask that before this regulation takes effect - we are informed it is beyond the control of the House and we cannot do anything about it - there is ministerial intervention and that each and every party and Independent Member in the House join me in issuing a clarion call to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to stop this madness.

I thank Deputy Charles Flanagan for his comments. His clear message is that what makes sense should happen. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is an independent statutory body, which has as one of its functions the preparation of broadcasting codes or rules. Accordingly, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has no function in this matter and his Department has no role in the consultation process or in the actual drawing up of codes.

However, I can give a brief overview of the origins of this consultation and the developments over the coming weeks. Regulations on advertising to children have a long history but the most recent developments stem from the audiovisual media services directive, which obliged member states to encourage broadcasters to develop codes of conduct regarding commercial communications for products containing fat, trans-fatty acids, salts or sugars, which accompany or are included in children's programmes. On a national level, section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 obliges the BAI to prepare and monitor compliance with certain broadcasting codes, including the children's commercial communications code, as well as reviewing these codes from time to time. In line with this legislative obligation, the BAI commenced the process of reviewing this section of the children's code, publishing a consultation document in August of last year. In this regard, the BAI may prohibit the advertising to children of foods and drinks that contain fat, trans-fatty acids, salts or sugars - often known as high-fat, sugar and salt or HFSS foods - under the terms of the Act. There is parliamentary oversight of these codes and under section 45 either House of the Oireachtas may annul a code by passing a resolution on the subject. That may be helpful to Deputy Flanagan.

The public consultation invited views on a range of matters, including types of regulation that should be applied. In addition, the consultation invited views on the recommendations of an expert working group, including a recommendation that the scientifically validated and peer reviewed nutrient profiling model developed by the Food Standards Agency in the United Kingdom would be a suitable mechanism for defining HFSS foods in the event that regulation is introduced in Ireland. Under this model, certain cheese is categorised as being high in salt, fat and sugar. The expert working group consisted of nutrition and public health experts from the Department of Health, the HSE, safefood and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Importantly, the expert working group expressly considered the question of whether an exemption should be granted to cheese on the grounds of its calcium content and concluded that such an exemption was unwise. Neither the BAI or the nutrient profiling model categorises cheese or other products as junk food.

The BAI has analysed the responses to the original consultation document and is planning to publish a draft code at the end of this month, for a further phase of public consultation to last eight weeks. The draft code has been informed by the submissions to the original consultation, by the BAI's regulatory obligations and by the conclusions and recommendations of the expert working group. Accordingly, I encourage all stakeholders to engage positively with this second round of public consultation. The health of Irish children should be a matter of central concern, and a robust, fair and balanced set of codes around advertising food to children has a key role to play in dealing with a range of childhood and lifelong illnesses.

I do not doubt the sincerity of the Minister of State in this matter. Does the Minister of State agree that this is an example of the nanny state gone mad? Will the Minister of State advise the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to listen to the industry and engage with it? Can I remind the Minister of State of the commitment in the programme for Government to reduce red tape and bureaucracy? This is a prime example of excessive bureaucracy. Banning the advertisements of cheese before 9 p.m. as though it is somewhat dangerous is sending out the wrong signals.

I agree with the thrust of what Deputy Charles Flanagan says and that people have strong views on this. The advisory group, the health specialists and the nutritional experts came to a view but, as I said earlier, it is a matter for the Oireachtas to make up its mind on these regulations. The Oireachtas has powers to do so and the Minister has no statutory role in this respect. However, I will bring the views of the Deputy to the Minister and I suggest that the industry engages with the Minister for Health and the advisory bodies if it has not already done so. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources does not have a function in this matter but there is a role for the Oireachtas.

Post Office Network

The next matter concerns the need to ensure adequate infrastructure for post office services and for Knockmore post office, County Mayo, to remain open. Deputies Mulherin, O'Mahony and Calleary have two minutes each.

Knockmore post office will cease operations on 1 May. I understand the Minister will tell us this is an operational matter for An Post, a State company charged with running postal service, but that is not good enough. An Post has not acted in the interests of the community in Knockmore. It is a State company set up to provide a postal service throughout the country, including Knockmore. An Post has taken the approach from the start that it was a foregone conclusion that the service was to be pulled from Knockmore. An Post has been acting like a secret society. The closure decision was made in January and was kept hush until the news broke earlier this week. No elected representatives or people in the community were made aware. There was no consultation. The local shopkeeper wants to take on and grow the service to the mutual benefit of the shopkeeper and An Post but has received no response from An Post to the letter expressing an interest, which was sent at the end of February. Why has An Post refused to engage? If An Post had concerns or required changes to make the service viable all this could have been teased out by consulting with the community and, at the very least, advertising for expressions of interest.

I have contacted An Post. It can offer no facts or figures why the service in Knockmore is being discontinued other than that it has a general policy throughout the country to reduce the number of post offices. However, Knockmore is a thriving rural community serving a population of about 4,000 with six national schools in the parish, local businesses and amenities including 40 community and voluntary groups. It is not in rural decay and losing population, like so many rural areas where no one is in a position to run a post office service. The attitude of An Post is a disgrace. I hope that the Minister will take An Post to task for its cavalier attitude in dealings with the people of Knockmore.

After a conversation with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, he gave me a commitment that he will require An Post to lay bare the mechanisms and reasons for the decision so that this issue can be dealt with in an open and transparent way. We can then know the issues that need to be overcome to retain the post office service in Knockmore and to give the interested shopkeeper and the people of the community a fair opportunity to do so. Fair play is required here. I will continue to pursue this matter in conjunction with Councillor Seamus Weir and the people of Knockmore who are fighting to retain their post office, which has been in existence since 1849.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter. I wish the retiring postmasters, Ann and Billy Rodgers, well in their retirement. They have given long and distinguished service. Knockmore is the largest parish in Mayo and the parishes of Knockmore and Rathduff stretch from Foxford to Ballina and Crossmolina. There are 1,200 homes and between 3,000 and 4,000 people. Two post offices, in Corroy and Cloghans, were closed in the past ten years in the parish. The real issue is the criteria used to arrive at this decision. The decision was taken in secret and news broke over the weekend. An expression of interest was made by the local shop, Corcoran's, but was not responded to by An Post until the announcement that the decision had been made.

That is not good enough. How will elderly people who do not have transport access services to the local post offices in Foxford or Ballina if this post office closes and there is no public transport? Local businesses or interested parties should be allowed run the post office on a trial basis and let the people of Knockmore demonstrate the need for the post office in the area. That would be transparent, measurable and would not need to be confirmed until the end of that two year period.

I ask the Minister to instruct An Post to conduct a public consultation not just in Knockmore, but in any other area of the country. There is a need for transparency, openness and consultation but in this case we have an example of the direct opposite.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue. I join with Deputy O'Mahony in praising Billy and Ann Rodgers for the service they have provided. There has been a post office in Knockmore since 1847. That is the tradition we are discussing. As Deputy O'Mahony stated, there are 1,200 homes in Knockmore with a large and vibrant parish and, therefore, commercially An Post is turning its back on a revenue raising opportunity and a revenue source that has been very good to An Post and its predecessor for all of that time.

Knockmore parish has done its bit in terms of the reorganisation of postal services in that two of the three post offices in the parish have already been closed. As other Deputies stated, a business in the area has indicated it is willing to consider hosting the post office and if An Post was to bother advertising that I have no doubt that other community-based commercial interests would come forward with the same proposals.

I accept this is an operational issue for An Post but the Minister is the shareholder. He represents shareholder interests in the organisation, and shareholder interests in any organisation seek to ensure that the commercial income is maximised. However, in the case of An Post the commercial income should be maximised with respect and an acknowledgement of its community responsibility.

Everybody can win in this case. If An Post turns its back on the parish of Knockmore, it is turning its back on substantial revenues as well as on its community responsibility, which it must adhere to for having the monopoly on the various services. The parish of Knockmore has shown itself on the football field, in boxing and in many areas to be a fighting parish. An Post should be aware that it has a fight on its hands but in fighting for this the parish of Knockmore, if it is given the opportunity, will show that the investment it wants to make in its post office is a commercial one. We are not doing anyone any favours in that respect. This is not a public service. It is an investment that will show a commercial return. That is what we want An Post to do. That is what the Minister, as the chief shareholder in the organisation, should seek. Rather than it being an operational issue for An Post, we need the Minister to intervene and ask it the reason it is turning its back on this revenue.

I thank the Deputies for their comments and assure them that the Government is committed to a strong and viable An Post and supports its maintenance of the maximum number of economically viable post offices. I take particular note of what the Deputies said regarding the length of time the post office has been open, the services it provided historically and currently in the community and the impact this is having on the people. I will bring their concerns directly to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte.

The Government also appreciates the importance of the rural post office infrastructure. The programme for Government recognises that the universal postal service is an essential public service, especially in the case of rural communities and those disadvantaged communities affected by the digital divide. The importance of the postal business and the post office network was recognised by Deputies during the comprehensive debate on the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill last year. Deputies will be aware, however, that the commercial operation of An Post's post office network is a matter for the board and management of the company and not one in which the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has a direct statutory function.

An Post advises that on the resignation of a postmaster, a post office is reviewed in terms of business volumes and the geographical proximity of neighbouring offices. On that basis, An Post takes a view on whether or not the post office should be advertised. It is understood from An Post that the closure scheduled for the post office at Knockmore, County Mayo with effect from the 1 May arises due to the retirement of the postmaster there. Customers will be transferred to offices in Foxford, approximately four miles away, and either of An Post's two offices at Bury Street and Ardnaree in Ballina, which is approximately six miles away. Department of Social Protection customers will be catered for at Foxford initially but will be assisted in moving to any other post office of their choice. An Post advises there will be no change to mail services locally.

I fully understand the concerns of Deputies about post office closures or any changes to services offered in their constituencies, and concerns about the financial viability of the post office counters service in general. The importance of An Post to rural communities is well recognised and as a company it must seize all opportunities to innovate and remain relevant to its local customer base. An Post management has succeeded in growing business at post office counters generally but the counter business is not immune from the threat presented by the development of electronic alternatives to traditional counters services.

It is clear that An Post is facing challenges in both its postal and mail business. It must build on its intrinsic advantages such as the scale of the network, brand name and strong connection between postmasters and their local community to re-invent itself as a dynamic and sustainable business. I understand that the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, is confident that the management and staff are capable of doing that.

The Minister will continue, where possible, to facilitate business expansion by the post office counter business because it is only that growth that can provide a sustainable basis for its survival. In this regard, the Minister will pay particular attention in the months ahead, with our colleagues, the Ministers for Finance and Social Protection, to the development of a universal basic bank account product which could be accessible in the post office network nationwide.

The Government recognises the strategic importance of the postal sector and the central role that An Post plays. Reflecting that role, it has been long-standing policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company in a position to compete in a liberalised market and continue to provide a wide range of services to both urban and rural communities.

I thank the Minister of State. I would like to think the Minister would take An Post to task for the manner in which it is conducting its business on this issue. That is at the core of the problem. It is not a private company that can keep all its affairs private; even private companies cannot do that. It is working to deliver a service we see not only as economic, but that has social value. It should be consulting with the community, particularly in a situation where somebody is willing to take over the service. Sadly, in many rural communities there is nobody to do that because of rural decline and an aged population. That is not the case here and as has been described, this is a vibrant community that is very interested in holding on to this service. We need figures to show the reason this is not viable but none of that is forthcoming. It appears to be in keeping with some general policy but I would like it to be particular because the people of Knockmore are particular about retaining their service.

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I understand it is not a ministerial decision to close any post office but whatever decision is taken must be taken in a transparent and open way, with consultation. That is not happening and that is relevant in Knockmore. In terms of the financial crisis, we saw last week the likelihood that some banks will close in various small towns. In terms of the household charge, for instance, many people would like to pay it in their local post office but that has not been possible. That is a wider debate but the people in Knockmore have not been given a chance to access some of the services the Minister of State spoke about and which I would support putting into the network of post offices. I understand the Minister cannot reverse the decision but he can ask the board to re-examine the position, and I ask the Minister to do that.

I thank the Minister of State for his response. There are ministerial representatives on the board of An Post to represent the interests of the Minister as a shareholder. The Minister of State referred to facilitating business expansion by the post office counter business but An Post is turning its back on 4,000 customers by closing the post office. That will not expand any business.

Expanding the services available within An Post is all very fine, but when the source of the service is closed it flies in the face of such a policy. An Post has replaced post offices in smaller communities in recent times across Mayo. We want it to put an advertisement in a newspaper and ask people if they are interested in providing a post office service. At least then there would be some sort of transparency. An Post has given the Minister of State a response stating it is only four miles to Foxford or six miles to Ballina. Older people who do not have buses or a DART service are affected. Families are already stretched in terms of providing services. We talk about expanding the business of An Post but this policy will lead to a decline in its business.

If any business turned its back on 4,000 customers, as a shareholder the Minister has the right to ask questions. It is not an area of overarching ministerial responsibility. The Minister represents shareholders and has the right to ask why An Post is abandoning potential customers.

I would be very happy to take the views of the Deputies and convey them to the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte. I know he will take account of them and ensure they are communicated directly to An Post. Would it make sense to arrange a meeting with it to discuss the business propositions made by the Deputies? If there is an alternative it ought to be considered. If it has not been aware of what it might be-----

It is aware of it.

There may be information which has not been given, apart from sensitive commercial information, such as the number of transactions and activities which should be made available.

There is a public meeting in the village on Friday night and I expect An Post will be invited to it. It will have an opportunity to explain, in a transparent way, what has happened.

It should be accountable to the community. I will ensure the views of the Deputies are expressed to the Minister and communicated to An Post.

Community Care

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for putting this matter on the list today and thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, who is fully aware of Teach Tearmainn in Kildare, having visited it a number of weeks ago. It was established in 1999 to develop a women and children's domestic violence service in Kildare. It has established and operated successful information, support and counselling services for the past 11 years for women and children from Kildare and its hinterland.

At the behest of the HSE and based on identified needs for service provision and minimum Council of Europe's standards, it began developing a refuge facility in 2001. After many hurdles over the past 11 years, a state-of-the-art purpose-built refuge was completed in January 2012. Teach Tearmainn took ownership of the facility on 17 January 2012. To date, in excess of €900,000 has been spent on the building, the majority of which came from the State. The magnificent facility unfortunately remains unopened today despite the fact it has everything one would need to ensure protection, comfort, assistance and everything else for those unfortunate enough to have to use them. There is CCTV and monitoring.

Since 17 January, a total of 14 women and 37 children from the county have sought refuge there. It is most likely that some of those children still remain at risk. Of these cases, eight were referred from State personnel, such as the Garda, social workers, community welfare officers, etc. At least six women and 16 children from Kildare have received refuge in other parts of the county. One family, I understand, had to go to Kerry. One can imagine the damage that does to a family. They have been taken from their own environs and moved 120 miles away.

The lack of refuges in Kildare further isolates women and children. Children are unable to continue to attend schools and are moved from their friends. It is a huge problem. The international research consistently shows women most at risk of leaving abusive relationships need a conduit of safety. Research shows that increasing women's social support in their localities also increases the capacity to live free from violence.

The board of management of Teach Tearmainn requested funding of €413,000 from the HSE in March 2011 and to date the request has not been answered. I received a number of e-mails in recent weeks stating that the HSE is offering €100,000 to open the facility. As a result of the technicalities, problems and staff required, €100,000 will not be enough to open the facility which was demanded in the first instance by the HSE.

When the key was due to be handed over the HSE determined it had no more funds. A magnificent building is lying idle. I am delighted the Minister of State is in the House because she knows exactly what I am talking about. I cannot understand why, if a commitment like that of the HSE is given to fund a facility, it is not being honoured. I received e-mails from the HSE but those involved in the refuge did not.

We talk about things happening. I cannot understand why permission is given to a group to proceed with a facility when people are being sent to Kerry and the building cannot be opened to allow people in. It is amazing, to say the least.

I thank Deputy Wall. Before this ever became an issue he asked me to visit the building. As he has described, it is a building any of us would live in. It is an incredible five-star building. We are not addressing the central issue in the reply but perhaps we can in the supplementary questions.

Domestic violence is a serious health and human rights issue. In March 2010 the Government launched a four year strategy to provide a framework for sustainable intervention to prevent and effectively respond to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Cosc is the national office established in 2007 under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality to ensure the delivery of the Government's strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

The HSE also launched its own policy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in 2010. The principal actions of this policy are in line with Government strategy. International and domestic research, as the Deputy said, indicates the health care system is usually the first route through which domestic violence victims seek support. In recognition of this, the HSE has reviewed various models to support staff to recognise, respond and refer appropriately regarding domestic violence.

The HSE, through its primary care and hospital services, manages the significant impact of domestic violence or sexual violence on the health and well-being of victims. HSE staff and allied health professionals provide a range of services to people who experience domestic violence. Nationally, the HSE funds 45 front line domestic violence service providers, of which 20 provide refuge accommodation. The services provide a wide range of supports, such as advocacy and counselling, and were funded to the tune of €14.6 million in 2011, of which €10.4 million was granted to 20 refuges. In addition €4.5 million was provided by the HSE to fund sexual violence services in 2011.

Every HSE region in Ireland has at least one refuge available providing crisis emergency accommodation. All but one, located in the western region, are accessible on a 24 hour basis. There are ten counties in which refuge facilities are not located but the support service providers in these locations may refer clients to refuge services in neighbouring counties. There are currently 138 emergency accommodation units funded by the HSE nationally. These units may offer accommodation to a single client or a client with accompanying children, and are intended to provide emergency or transitional crisis accommodation.

National statistics on domestic violence for 2010 published by Safe Ireland, the national representative body for 39 women's front line domestic violence services, show a substantial increase in demand for services in 2010 compared to 2009. It is within the context of this increased demand for domestic violence services that the HSE is currently in the process of conducting a national and regional review of domestic violence service provision. Its aim is to ensure that funding is allocated according to need and that areas of high demand are appropriately resourced. Findings from the review will inform service development.

I reassure the Deputy that the Government is fully committed to addressing the problems of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

That reply certainly did not address my issue on Teach Tearmainn in Kildare. It will make disappointing reading for its board. When will the national review be completed? I understood from the last meeting that it would be completed very soon and that many of the black holes identified, affecting ten counties, would be addressed. Kildare has a facility but the HSE will not give us the money to open the door. Common sense ought to prevail. We cannot continue to spend Exchequer money through the HSE and not use this facility. We have spent almost €1 million on the facility, yet we cannot open it and instead send people to Kerry and elsewhere, at a total loss to the unfortunate families affected. They face extra costs financially and otherwise.

Can the Minister of State arrange a meeting with the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Minister for Health and the HSE to resolve this matter in order to have a beneficial service? It is a matter of seeing results and satisfying the families in question, and of ensuring that only nine of the ten counties will be affected because Kildare will have a facility of which it can be justly proud. The board of management is totally committed to the facility. I thank the Minister of State for her efforts on behalf of the board. We have met with deaf ears in the HSE, unfortunately. Where in the report is the reference to the €100,000 promised for Teach Tearmainn?

I thank Deputy Wall. The meeting can be arranged. During the negotiations on the budget, the Minister for Justice and Equality made it quite clear that Teach Tearmainn was one of the issues dealt with in regard to domestic violence. He made it quite clear he intended to invest whatever additional money he could gather into service provision. Service provision at the front line is the key. This can be arranged.

We cannot provide services and then have them funded insufficiently. While there may be some negotiations on funding, negotiations need to take place nevertheless.

On the last occasion on which I answered a question on domestic violence, not necessarily on Teach Tearmainn, I stated this matter lies firmly under the equality remit of the Department of Justice and Equality. Why are we not tackling the abuser? Why are affected women and children being driven from their homes? They have to go to Kerry and other places rather than remain in their own homes, yet we do nothing about the elephant in the room. We continue to pour money into services and the sums invested are significant.

It is never a once-off occasion when one is beaten in one's own home. The problem does not just affect women. Domestic violence is domestic violence and a small, but significant, proportion of men are abused domestically. We must really get serious about it and treat those who commit this heinous crime exactly as one would treat somebody who beat one up going down the street.

Hospital Services

I appreciate being selected. The reason I raise this issue is because I want clarity on the closure of the gynaecological theatre in University Hospital, Galway, to all procedures other than emergency operations and caesarean sections. The INMO expressed serious concern about the recent closure of the theatre. We are trying to get to the bottom of why there is talk of suspending elective surgery for five weeks in the theatre.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, is well aware, the nursing staff who have worked extra time are owed 2,700 hours, comprising 1,000 hours in annual leave and 1,700 hours for on-call work. The nurses have been told to take time off during the five-week period. If this is true, it is evident that there was no capability to plan for the loss of seven nurses due to early retirement and sick leave, which also resulted in some difficulties. It is quite clear that the theatre is not working at full capacity. The staff have been told they must take their time off over the next five weeks while the theatre is closed to elective surgery or else lose their entitlement.

The staff have worked exceptionally hard. They have put their shoulders very firmly to the wheel and have assisted in trying to deal with the backlog and difficulties faced by underfunded health services. I do not expect the Minister of State to wave a magic wand on this issue. We all realise that budgets must be adhered to, but the difficulty is that there was no planning to ensure there would be no loss of expertise and capacity required to run a gynaecological surgical theatre on foot of the loss of front line staff. The Minister's statement in the House that there was a plan for all eventualities is threadbare.

Why is a theatre being closed to elective surgery for five weeks? Why have the staff been told that if they do not take off the hours they are due during the five-week period, they will lose them. I refer to the staff who have been at the front line dealing with challenges continually and working under extremely difficult conditions.

I visited the hospital last year and noted a hugely committed staff. They were willing to put in every effort to ensure the hospital ran as smoothly as possible. Obviously, there are capacity issues and the reduction in the hospital's budget is exacerbating the problem. In recent weeks, due to staff shortages, it has not been possible to run the theatre at full capacity. On occasion, the gynaecological staff must use the main theatre in the hospital and theatre time in Mayo General Hospital and Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe for urgent elective surgery. Despite this, a theatre remains idle in University Hospital, Galway.

All I ask for is clarity, not for me but for the staff. The INMO has expressed serious concern over the manner in which this matter has been handled. The staff deserve better.

I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Health. I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue.

The Government has determined that, in line with its commitment to reduce the size of the public service, health sector employment numbers must be reduced to approximately 102,100 whole-time equivalents in 2012. The end-2011 outturn was 104,400 whole-time equivalents. Therefore, a net reduction of 2,300 whole-time equivalents is required during 2012. The cumulative impact of staff reductions from this year and previous years presents a significant challenge for the health system in delivering services.

The priority is to reform how health services are delivered to ensure a more productive and cost-effective health system. The 2012 national service plan sets out what actions will be taken in the context of reduced staffing levels and a reduced budget. Staff in University Hospital, Galway, and, in particular, in the gynaecological theatre, are working very hard to ensure continuity of service. To ensure the maximum service possible is provided to patients, theatre sessions have been provided and utilised in the main theatre in the hospital and also in the theatres in Mayo and Portiuncula hospitals to support operations for women.

I must emphasise all emergency and urgent operations, including cancer-related procedures, have been carried out and all patients requiring caesarean sections have also been accommodated. Several minor elective procedures have been deferred and will be rescheduled when the gynaecological theatre resumes full capacity in the first week in April. In recent weeks, staff shortages due to the moratorium on recruitment and retirements have meant that it has not been possible to run the theatre to full capacity.

Two and a half agency staff have been recruited recently to cover the staff shortages and are being trained. This will lead to greater flexibility with rostering. It is important to note the staff will not lose annual leave, as has been reported in the media. Planning for staff exits from the health services commenced in October last year and is now being intensified at regional and local service level. The focus of these plans is on maintaining essential front line services such as emergency departments, intensive care and maternity services.

The Health Service Executive is seeking to mitigate the impact of the retirements on front line services by using the provisions of the public service agreement to bring about greater flexibility in work practices and rosters, redeployment and other changes to achieve more efficient delivery of services. It will also deliver greater productivity through the national clinical programmes to reduce the average length of stay, improve day of admission surgery rates and increase the number of patients treated as day cases. There will also be some limited and targeted recruitment in priority areas to help limit the impact of retirements on front line services.

Deputy Kelleher is correct that the flexibility shown by health service staff and the way in which they have filled in for other staff members who exited the public service deserves recognition. We owe them a debt of gratitude and they have been working very hard in ensuring the delivery of the type of service we want. That includes the staff at University Hospital, Galway.

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. In part, it gives comfort that annual leave will not be lost by staff at the hospital. The issue of 1,700 hours for on-call work is another matter which the Minister should relay to the HSE to be clarified. As she said, these are the staff who have worked above and beyond the call of duty to provide care and ensure the theatre in question operated at premium capacity.

While the Minister of State did not say it, we talk in general about the cancellation of elective surgery as if it were not urgent. It is urgent to the person who requires it, particularly with gynaecological and cancer-related procedures. Will the Minister of State ensure the recruitment and training process continues unabated to ensure there is a return to full capacity at the theatre in question rather than patients having to travel to other hospitals in the region for surgery? We must get back to providing excellent care at University Hospital, Galway, which the staff want to do too. Will the Minister of State clarify the position on the 1,700 hours for on-call work?

I do not have the information on the on-call hours to hand. If the matter of the on-call hours is clarified, I will ensure the Deputy receives information on it. As he knows, however, some times there might not be clarity around an issue.

Up to eight hospitals have been identified as having particular challenges with staffing, of which University Hospital, Galway, is one. This is being worked on intensely which is why there was an immediate recruitment of two and a half agency staff to fill staffing gaps. An outside group is conducting a serious review of how the service can be improved, as well as to see where staffing gaps occur because it is not always about the service needing tweaking.

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