Call for 10-year health service plan welcome, Simon Harris says

Minister for Health Simon Harris has welcomed a motion from Opposition TDs calling for the establishment of a cross-party committee to develop a 10 year plan for the health service.

Mr Harris said in a statement that he was positively considering the motion.

“It is extremely encouraging in the 32nd Dáil to see a consensus emerging on the health service,” said Mr Harris.

“I have made it very clear that I want to see consensus on a 10-year plan for the health service and I am currently considering the motion with a view to encompassing thoughts and ideas of my own and reflecting the Programme for Government agreed with our Independent partners.”

The Minister said he was committed to working positively with the Opposition to make progress on establishing the committee as quickly as possible.

Mr Harris was responding to a motion signed by 89 TDs including all the Opposition parties which called for the establishment of a cross-party committee to hear proposals from experts and deliver a report within six months.

Social Democrat TD Róisín Shortall said earlier that the committee needed to embrace all politicians and deliver a 10-year plan for the health service.