To ask the Minister of Health to detail the measures his Department is taking to ensure that any financial interventions provide sustainable long-term support rather than short-term relief.

In Health our primary goal is to direct all available funding to the areas of greatest need. The current financial position can sometimes of necessity mean that a less attractive option needs to be implemented due to affordability constraints.

However, the Department has process in place requiring that all funding decisions are appraised to ensure they provide value for money over the status quo whether they are providing long-term support or short-term relief.