Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2013
149. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the reason the Irish Patient Association has had its core funding withdrawn by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13839/13]
View answer499. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that funding to the Irish Patients Association is being cut from April onward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10967/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 499 together.
Funding decisions in relation to the Irish Patients Association are proper to the HSE, as appropriate to its holding of the Health Vote.
The HSE has met with Departmental officials to give a background to the reduction in funding for the Association and other voluntary agencies, brought about by the financial position in which the health service finds itself and due to a re-appraisal and targeting of priorities in the light of the Executive's Service Plan 2013. The Deputies should be aware that it would not be correct for the Department to become involved in governance and funding procedures proper to the HSE.
In the area of patient advocacy the HSE is establishing its Patient Safety Champions Network and this is what it wishes to support and target financially. It will also continue to fund another patient advocacy group engaged in direct advocacy work.
The HSE has been in discussions with the Association since 2006/2007, in relation to it becoming self-financing; there does not appear to have been progress in this direction. (The Department was also in similar discussions with the Association in 2003/2004). The Association receives some private funding from the pharmaceutical sector.
The CEO of the Irish Patients Association met with the Secretary General of my Department in January and was appraised of the HSE's position on funding for the Association. A further meeting between the Association and the HSE was suggested and this took place last Thursday, 14th March. The outcome of this meeting is that the decision by the HSE to cease funding the Irish Patients Association will not be reversed.
