Results 6,501-6,520 of 12,718 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (3 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: 1036. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the pressure that owners and operators of childcare facilities are experiencing as the direct result of the cessation of funding streams specifically those grants available for new crèches that require a fit-out to open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9626/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (3 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: 1153. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the operation of the school meals programme during school closures as a result of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9633/20]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Obesity Strategy (3 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: 1262. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the work being carried out within his Department in respect of the national obesity plan specifically regarding developing guidelines and support materials for those working in developing the built environment of urban development and planning in relation to reducing the obesogenic environment; the status of this matter;...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: 1301. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will set out, including implementation dates, the procedural, licensing, publicity and customer service arrangements her Department has made towards continuing to meet these important responsibilities since the commencement of Covid-19 restrictions on 12 March 2020 with regard to the Wildlife Act 1976 as amended and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Regulations (3 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: 1302. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will review negative impacts of urban-living seagull colonies on communities and make recommendations with regard to the 2020.21 State-wide Declaration under Article 9.1.a of the Birds Directive and the consultative committee she approved in October 2018 and that commenced its work in June 2019 (details supplied). [9621/20]

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I will take ten minutes. I thank our witnesses and their members, and all our healthcare workers who do a phenomenal job day in and day out. We have said many times that while it is very nice to get a round of applause in this House at 8 p.m. on a Thursday, it would be even nicer to have the decent pay and conditions, and the equipment needed to do their job. That must be our focus. The...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank Mr. Varley for his input. Unfortunately we are on a really tight schedule. Mr. Varley can see the clock; we have five minutes left. If I could bring in a speaker from the IMO, I have other questions I want to ask.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I take that point but given that value for money has to be a factor - maybe not the only factor - it was necessary to get the capacity. As for a plan, we knew that the capacity was in case the surge happened. Was there a plan B? In the event the surge did not happen, was there a plan to ensure we would get some value for money out of those beds? Was there ever a plan B by the HSE, the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: That time, however, has been lost. The surge did not happen and we paid for the beds, but there was never a plan to utilise them in the event that the surge did not happen.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: It had not stepped up, according to our information, to beyond a maximum of 50% capacity in some instances, which does not-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: -----represent good value for money in anyone's mind. On the waiting lists, which were described as running at 800,000 cases, what is the likely impact of this deal on them? Will we see higher numbers and longer waits in the post-Covid environment? I will put that to Mr. Varley before Ms Clyne, if she does not mind.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I am sorry to cut across Mr. Varley but that was the point I was making. There was no plan B-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: In the event that the capacity was not needed for the surge, there was no plan B. No attempt was made to get some value for money, however small it would have been, from the additional capacity. It was based on making preparation for a surge but there was no plan B in the event that the surge did not happen.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: There are only a few moments remaining so I will turn to Ms Clyne. On the issue of waiting lists, what will be the likely impact of this?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: That should include the utilisation of the last month left of this contract and for as long as we are paying for it to have some sort of impact, meaningful or even small, on the waiting lists.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the witnesses and everybody involved for their ongoing work. We fully appreciate how difficult this is for everybody involved and we know the effort that has gone in to date and which continues. It is possible this could be taken as a given but it is still important to say it nonetheless. My first question relates to the value-for-money element that is clearly absent from this...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: That is before final payment but I presume it is after the money has been spent.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: Will Mr. Breslin share that information?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: We will not know the cost of this until long after this deal concludes. Is that right?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: We still do not know the final costs, so the figure could be higher in the end.