Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 June 2016
92. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health his plans to implement a new multi-annual budgeting system for health; and the role in this new funding process of the proposed new cross-party committee on health. [13741/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIncreases in the health budget have been possible both in Budget 2015 and 2016. It is this Government's intention to work with the Oireachtas to sustain these annual increases going forward. It is our intention to set out a detailed longer-term budget for the health service, underpinned by a 5 year Health Service Plan based on realistic, verifiable projections. It is acknowledged in our Programme for Government that considering ongoing demographic change and medical innovation, increases of an average of more than 3% per annum, combined with an ongoing reform agenda, to drive further efficiencies, are needed to make real improvements.
One of the key proposals in the Programme for Government is the establishment of an Oireachtas Committee to develop cross-party consensus on the future of the health service. I believe the health service would benefit enormously from a single unifying vision that can help to drive reform and development of the system over the next 10 years. The Committee will examine and make recommendations on how best to re-orientate the health service on a phased basis in as short a timeframe as possible.
This will allow the New Partnership Government to make a final decision on the best way forward to finance Universal Healthcare.
