Cabinet Committees
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-30
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Micheál Martin (FF), Cork South-Central

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 20, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet committee on health last met on 30 April 2026 and is due to meet again shortly. The Cabinet committee oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments in relation to health, receives detailed reports on identified policy areas and considers health reforms, including Sláintecare, the reform of public health and health system preparedness for future health threats. It also receives reports in relation to programme for Government commitments in the areas of mental health and drugs policy. In addition to me, it is attended by the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, the Minister for public expenditure, and the Minister for Health.
Sláintecare 2025+, our latest Sláintecare strategy, published in May 2025, aims to forge the way towards accessible, affordable, high-quality healthcare for the people of Ireland when they need it and where they need it. For the fourth year in a row, Ireland has the highest self-perceived health status in the EU, with 80.4% of males and 79.9% of females rating their health as good or very good. Our life expectancy is continuing to increase and is above international averages. Life expectancy in Ireland has increased by two years for males and one year for females since 2015. We are treating more people, with better outcomes than ever before. We continue to reduce mortality rates from cancer, circulatory system diseases and respiratory system diseases, and report positive trends in preventative health. Our overall mortality rate has fallen by 16.1% since 2015. The Government will continue to invest and reform, changing the way health services are delivered this year and into the future.
The Waiting Time Action Plan 2026, published on 30 January, represents the Government's continued commitment to improving access to hospital care. Since the commencement of the multi-annual action plan approach, significant progress has been made in reducing the length of time hospital patients are waiting.
The new regional structures within the HSE have been established, with six new health regions and 20 integrated healthcare areas, IHAs. Health and social care services are planned and delivered around the specific needs of local populations, leading to better co-ordination of care and access to services.
The public-only consultant contract, POCC, is central to the transition towards a more consultant-led public health service and represents a significant structural reform in the delivery of public hospital services. The POCC was introduced to strengthen clinical decision-making capacity within the public system and to improve patient access to timely care. It also aims to ensure access to treatment is based on medical need, not ability to pay, in line with the Sláintecare vision.
I will read the rest of the reply into the record.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:06+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-30