Minister for Health and Children (Ireland)

The Minister for Health and Children (Aire Sláinte agus Leanaí) is the senior minister at the Department of Health and Children in the Irish Government and is responsible for health care in the Republic of Ireland and related services.

The current Minister for Health and Children is Mary Harney, TD. She is assisted by:
 * Minister of State for Children: Brendan Smith, TD
 * Minister of State for Older People: Máire Hoctor, TD
 * Minister of State for Disability Issues and Mental Health: Jimmy Devins, TD

Health care formed part of the portfolio of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health until 22 January, 1947. On that date the new position of Minister for Health was created, with complete control over all policy regarding health care provision in Ireland. In later years, the health portfolio was occasionally coupled with that for social welfare portfolio, in which case the incumbent was known as the Minister for Health and Social Welfare.

In recent years, and especially since the tenure of Michael Noonan in 1994–1997, being appointed as minister has become somewhat of a "poisoned chalice" in government circles and a portfolio to be avoided by aspiring politicians. A number of scandals, mostly due to medical negligence, have meant that the minister immediately becomes identified with the scandal. For instance the Hepatitis C scandal, the withholding of baby organs without parential consent or knowledge, the Dr. Michael Neary saga in Drogheda and other high profile medical scandals have dogged the minister and department. Additionally the minister has to deal with logistic issues not seen in other departments such as strikes, shortages and queues which are all to familiar in clinics and hospitials around the country.

Overview
The Minister's duties include the creation and assessment of policy for the health services. The main policy sections of the Department, together with their responsibilities, are:

Child Care

 * Child care legislation
 * National Children's Office

Continuing Care

 * Services for homeless adults
 * Services for people with disabilities
 * Services for the elderly and palliative care

Finance

 * Health insurance
 * Hospital planning
 * Public-Private Partnerships

Personnel Management and Development

 * Nursing policy
 * Personnel management and development

Primary Care

 * Community health (child health, dental services, AIDS, reproductive health)
 * General medical services

Secondary Care

 * Blood policy
 * Hospital services

Strategic Policy and Corporate Services

 * Corporate Services
 * Health promotion
 * Health Strategy Legislation

Minister for Health & Children 1997–present
The asterisk (*) indicates ministers who held the Health and Social Welfare portfolios simultaneously.

External link

 * Department of Health and Children

Ministrowie zdrowia i dzieci Irlandii