37 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to reform health boards. [12585/02]

The health boards, established under the Health Act, 1970, are the statutory bodies responsible for the delivery of health and personal social services in their functional areas. They are also the main providers of health and personal social care at regional level. The Health (Amendment) No. 3 Act, 1996, clarified the respective roles of health boards and their chief executive officers by making boards responsible for certain reserved functions relating to policy matters and major financial decisions, and chief executive officers responsible for executive matters.