Micheál Martin
Ceist:6. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the dates on which meetings of Cabinet committees or sub-committees took place in July 2015. [32875/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 15 December 2015
Ceisteanna (6, 7, 8)
Micheál Martin
Ceist:7. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the Cabinet committee meetings he attended in September 2015. [33921/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Gerry Adams
Ceist:8. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach the Cabinet committee and sub-committee meetings that he attended from July 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44673/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (10 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together.
I chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform on 1 July and a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on 1916 Commemorations on 2 July. I chaired meetings of the Cabinet Committees on Social Policy and Public Service Reform, Economic Infrastructure and Climate Change and Health on 13 July. In September, I chaired meetings of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Recovery and Jobs, Social Policy and Public Service Reform, Economic Infrastructure and Climate Change, Health, Justice Reform and Construction 2020, Housing, Planning and Mortgage Arrears. In October, I chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Construction 2020, Housing, Planning and Mortgage Arrears. In November, I chaired meetings of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Recovery and Jobs, Social Policy and Public Service Reform, Economic Infrastructure and Climate Change, Health and Justice Reform. To date in December, I have chaired meetings of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Recovery and Jobs, European Affairs, Economic Infrastructure and Climate Change and 1916 Commemorations. The Economic Management Council met once in July, twice in September and once in October.
The Taoiseach has undoubtedly been busy. I have some questions about the Cabinet Committee on Health. The Taoiseach told us some time ago that this committee was going to drive forward reform as identified in the Fine Gael manifesto and the programme for Government.
The universal health insurance process was the major plank of reform the Government identified, together with the abolition of the Health Service Executive but given that it has now abandoned the universal health insurance objective and while continuing to describe the HSE as a failure, it has failed to abolish it, what is the Cabinet Committee on Health achieving? Does the Taoiseach accept that the reform programme has been exposed as nothing more than a recipe for massive charges to the public and worse services in many areas of the health service? What are his views on the new idea of the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, that the health service should be run through health trusts and that management of health services might be privatised in circumstances where delivery does not meet his view of what it should be?
The Minister for Health is generally regarded as a very talented member of the Cabinet and the public welcomed his appointment to the Department of Health, expecting that he would deliver radical reform. It now feels, however, that rather than being a leader of health reform, he has become a lead commentator on the health service. Will the Taoiseach be in a position to do anything about that?
I was going to say the Taoiseach is the lead commentator and the Minister for Health is playing second best but this is the season of goodwill.
Only on health.
The Taoiseach never mentioned the Cabinet Committee on Irish and the Gaeltacht. Did that committee meet at all and can the Taoiseach give us some sense of what it did? Questions to the Taoiseach allow the Opposition leaders scrutinise the work of the Department of the Taoiseach but the Ceann Comhairle has to keep to the rules. We appreciate, however, the latitude he allows at times. The Taoiseach, who was in opposition for so long, understands the need to give as much information as possible without breaching the imperative of Cabinet confidentiality. Would it be possible to change that protocol given all the talk of democratic revolution and so on, the importance of Cabinet committees and their primary role in shaping Government policy and given that our ability to scrutinise the content of their discussion is not very transparent or accountable and is the opposite of democracy?
In response to Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, the Cabinet Committee on Health considers political oversight of many of the programmes being implemented. The long-term view is to have a single universal health care system but I have to admit the method by which the Government was to do this is no longer accepted as valid because it was too costly, as identified by the report of the Economic and Social Research Institute. The Government will not proceed with that particular model. As I have said in response to previous questions on primary care, community care, the fair deal scheme and the provision of local facilities, we have followed through on those in a very big way, overseeing the introduction of general practitioner cards for children under the age of six and adults over the age of 70 and moving on to the children under 12 years of age of working families. We have also focused on a healthy Ireland with initiatives in the preventive medicine area, activity levels and the opportunity for so many people to have healthier lifestyles, be it in respect of food, drink or whatever. The Deputy must have noticed the publication of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 last week in respect of advertising alcohol given the damage that can cause. Changes will be made such that it will not appear around schools or children.
We need more investment in the community primary care facilities. That is another reason to ensure a continuation of the strong recovery taking place. Most importantly, we need to invest in infrastructure, the recruitment of nurses and doctors and non-consultant hospital doctors. I gave the Deputy figures on that today. We also need to invest in the facilities. Last week Deputy Martin asked about the accident and emergency unit in Galway. The Minister for Health gave him a detailed reply. It is part of a major expansion of the hospital facilities in Galway and the various pieces of equipment there. While it is not as one would wish, it is part of a major reorganisation of the facilities at that hospital. We need a strong economy to be able to drive continued investment in such areas.
What questions did Deputy Adams ask? His second question was something about being anti-democratic.
It was about the Cabinet Committee on Irish and the Gaeltacht.
I think it met twice but I will have to confirm that. On the last occasion I discussed with it the question of the derogation in respect of Irish being a European language. We have failed as a country to provide the number of properly trained and high standard translators who have three languages. If we were to take all the people from this country who can measure up to the standard required at European level now, there would be another problem in respect of people of capacity here at home.
We do not have a language policy.
This is a question of recognising that our language is a European language. This country has not measured up in terms of providing a sufficient number of people of sufficient standard to sit in those boxes and translate the communiqués and the language in the way we would wish. We have to extend that out to 2021. I do not like that because there is no reason we cannot be much better. Yesterday I attended a little function in the west where people have used some of the resources given by the Aire Stáit and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to promote Irish business, Irish manufactured goods, to identify people who can speak Gaeilge and who are not afraid to speak it and to use many of the very modern ways of communicating language. I will confirm the dates when the committee met.
Written Answers follow Adjournment.