Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. I understand that the HSE wrote to the Deputy on 17 April last about this matter.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy regarding his further query in this matter. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he should contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.