Enhancing North-South cooperation is a priority for the Irish Government. I am also committed to working with partners in Northern Ireland to improve cooperation in health and social care where there are clear benefits for both jurisdictions and for patients across the island.
The HSE has confirmed that it has no records of funding Daisy Hill Hospital. However, there are a number of agreements in place covering specific specialist Cross Border initiatives that ensure that patients can receive a range of medical procedures/services as close to home as possible. This has helped reduce travel time, and the ease of access, which has been hugely beneficial for patients, their families and carers. The HSE advises that there is a service level agreement (SLA) between the RCSI Hospital Group and the Southern Trust Northern Ireland in relation to the provision of ear, nose and throat (ENT) outpatient and minor day case surgeries by ENT consultants from Southern Trust NI in Daisy Hill Hospital.
Furthermore, I have met with, and had representations from, representatives from South Down in relation to service provision in this hospital. As I informed them, there is ongoing and good engagement between my Department and the Department of Health, Northern Ireland. Most recently, Senior Officials from both Departments met in Dublin in July, in follow up to a previous engagement in Belfast in January, to discuss areas of health cooperation which could be expanded to benefit residents on the island of Ireland. There are also a number of channels through which collaboration is supported including the INTERREG and PEACE PLUS programmes as well as the Shared Island initiative.
This year, my Department also established an intra-departmental North-South Working Group to support this broad North-South cooperation in all areas of my Department's work. The Group was set up with Secretary General Robert Watt's endorsement to underline the importance of this work. The Group has identified a number of areas which would benefit from enhanced North-South cooperation which is guiding Senior Officials’ engagement. I am committed to continuing close and productive cooperation with Northern Ireland.
