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Dáil
‹ Order of Business

Health reform Bill publication

Summary

Gerry Adams asks when the health reform Bill will be published and whether it will address neurological facilities, also raising a family’s request for departmental contact. The Taoiseach promises publication during the session and will refer the family matter to the Health Minister.

I have two issues faoi reachtaíocht atá fógartha but before I come to them, I would like to say the Government needs to have a proper debate on all these issues. The way we are doing business is not good enough but coming back to the Order of Business, I would like to ask the Taoiseach about the health reform Bill and the Constitutional Convention.

The Government set a timeframe of four months for it to respond to recommendations from the convention. In February, in response to a question from me, the Taoiseach accepted that he had not responded to the convention's fourth report on Dáil electoral reform, which was published in August of last year. Today is the deadline for the Government's response to another set of recommendations on the extension of voting rights for Presidential elections.

Will the Government be responding today and when can we expect a response to the earlier report from August last? The health reform Bill is about future heath care and the disestablishment of the HSE. The Taoiseach was contacted recently by members of the family of Pádraig Schäler, who are really concerned at the enormous bills-----

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Seán Barrett An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

Sorry, but I cannot allow Deputy Adams to continue in that vein.

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It is about the Bill.

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Seán Barrett An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

Yes, but we cannot discuss the Bill. This slot is about when the Bill will be published and so forth.

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Sorry. I will just ask a general question, if that is okay. The Department of Health was supposed to speak to the family without delay but they are still waiting. I do not know if this is appropriate, but-----

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Seán Barrett An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

It is not.

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-----will the health reform Bill deal with the need for neurological facilities in the health service? Will the Taoiseach instruct the Minister for Health and his Department to talk to the Schäler family? When will the health reform Bill be published?

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Seán Barrett An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

That can be dealt with by way of correspondence or parliamentary question.

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

It will be published this session. I will bring the other matter that Deputy Adams raised to the attention of the Minister for Health but I assure him that the Bill will be before the House shortly.

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