Community Care

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2019

Tuesday, 21 May 2019

Questions (349, 351)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

349. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the section of the HSE or his Department under which social prescribing falls. [21432/19]

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

351. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if funding will be forthcoming to roll out social prescribing across the health service in view of the successes of social prescribing in counties Donegal, Waterford and Dublin 8. [21434/19]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 349 and 351 together.

At present there is no formal policy or plan for social prescribing in the Department of Health.  However, in close collaboration with the Research Services Unit of this Department, the HSE is working to strengthen the evidence base for social prescribing through those initiatives identified by the Deputy.

As part of the information sought comes under the remit of the HSE, this PQ has been referred for reply. We have asked the HSE to reply directly to Deputy.