Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 December 2018
402. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to correct the perceived insufficient funding for Sláintecare announced in budget 2019, most especially for transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50654/18]
View answerI am delighted that over €200 million has been allocated in Budget 2019 to directly support a range of additional services, including initiatives proposed in the Sláintecare Report and committed to in the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy.
These include:
- The Sláintecare Programme Office has a budget of €1m for 2018 and an additional €2.5m has been allocated for 2019;
- €20m for the establishment of a new ring-fenced Sláintecare Integration Fund to drive improvements in the way we deliver care across the system;
- Funding for a new GP contract;
- Expansion of free GP care, by increase in the weekly income threshold for GP Visit card by €25 which could benefit up to 100,000 people;
- Additional funding for 100 new therapy posts to address assessment of need waiting lists for children with disabilities and funding to ensure that the needs of all those leaving school in 2019 will be addressed;
- €55m in new development funding aimed at further enhancing community mental health teams for adults and children;
- Reducing user charges and out of pocket payments by further reductions in prescription charges - 50 cent reduction in prescription charges from €2.00 to €1.50 for all medical card holders over the age of 70 and by a €10 reduction in the monthly Drugs Payment Scheme threshold from €134 to €124; and
- Increased investment of €20m in the National Treatment Purchase Fund. This funding will be used to treat 70,000 patients on waiting lists in 2019.
This additional funding and the establishment of the programme office will allow implementation of Sláintecare to progress significantly in 2019. I expect to receive the 2019 Sláintecare Action Plan shortly setting out the priority actions for 2019.
I do not accept that this investment by Government represents insufficient funding for year one of what is a ten year programme of reform, investment and capacity building. Significant increases in expenditure take time to plan and implement. Funding for future years will be agreed with Government in the context of the annual estimates process. It should also be noted that the National Development Plan has committed €10.9 billion to health infrastructure, much of which will be on Sláintecare projects.
