Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004
533 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of parliamentary questions tabled to him by this Deputy that were referred to the chief executive of health boards and which have not been replied to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11376/04]
View answerMy practice, and that of my predecessors as Minister for Health and Children, is to provide as informative a reply as possible to parliamentary questions where the subject matter is appropriate to my Department.
Many of the questions asked by the Deputy are concerned with matters which are properly the responsibility of health boards, the ERHA or other statutory agencies which are directly accountable for their decisions and actions. To facilitate Deputies asking such questions, it is the practice in my Department to forward such questions immediately to the agency in question and to request that they examine the matter raised and reply to the Deputy concerned as speedily as possible.
My Department has taken various measures to emphasise to the management of health agencies the importance of parliamentary questions and other forms of public accountability as an intrinsic part of the exercise of modern public management. The entire framework for responding to complaints and for addressing public accountability requirements is an integral part of the health reform programme currently being implemented.
