Results 14,601-14,620 of 21,514 for speaker:Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
- Health Service Staff. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I am concluding with this point. The shortage of GPs restricts the time a GP has to engage with a patient and the opportunity he or she has for health promotion. While acknowledging some steps have been taken as the Minister's reply indicated, what further steps are proposed? Will the Minister agree it is alarming the HSE has had to recruit GPs outside of Ireland to meet the current shortfall?
- Health Service Staff. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I am glad the Minister used the French example. The figures she cited for the North of Ireland and Britain do not reflect the EU average, which stands at one GP per 1,000 people. I would like to ask the Minister about access to medical education. Places are critical in terms of the number of general practitioners we turn out. We also need to examine the issues of affordability. Access to...
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: In response to an earlier priority question, the Minister referred to an article in a County Louth newspaper, The Argus. She suggested that a representative of Sinn Féin had expressed a particular view on public-only general practice. I have to say she misrepresented the situation.
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: In line with Sinn Féin policy, my colleague in County Louth has very clearly indicated that a two-tier approach does not work, and that is wholly in line with the position I have articulated here, time and again. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to clarify that point. Regarding the grouping of questions before the House, the Minister has never given us a breakdown of the...
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I have it here. It states: "Public only consultant can't admit VHI patients."
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: There is no hypocrisy. The hypocrisy is on the Minister's side-----
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: -----and proves, once again, that co-existence of private and public service provision in the one system does not work.
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It does not work and the Minister has presided over two tiers in the health services all along, without consequence.
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: The Minister should stick to the facts.
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: The Minister can tell him herself-----
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Will the Minister circulate the details?
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: He is an excellent paediatrician, but what about his management skills?
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Guts are not needed to be a CEO, but specific managerial skills.
- National Treatment Purchase Fund. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: The Minister has been asked twice to share the information.
- Mental Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It is important to welcome what the Minister of State has said but to add that it does not arise from a recognition on the part of the Department, Minister, her colleagues or the HSE that the proposition to site at Thornton Hall was wrong in the first instance. It is a quirk of fate. Welcome though it is, it is important to recognise that is the case. Question No. 30 asks the Minister her...
- Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I expect the Minister, if she responds - as she should - to refer to her press statement of 25 June, which specifically referred to the European Commission decision. She stated: "The Government had already decided that the VHI should be in a position to attain authorisation as an insurance undertaking from the Financial Regulator and satisfy its prudential requirements as soon as possible."...
- Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: The Minister made an appeal earlier for support for the passage of this legislation. I remind her that in the earlier exchanges across the House on the Order of Business, I indicated clearly that I did not intend to oppose the passage of the Bill. This is not in response to her appeal but because, although I am not an advocate for private health insurance at any time, I accept the broad...
- Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I have no issue with these amendments. However, it would be helpful for all parties' understanding of the Minister's intended outworking of her proposals if she would provide a timetabled outline of how she expects the VHI's risk equalisation needs can be assured into the future.
- Order of Business (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I join with other voices in opposing the proposal to apply a guillotine to the passage of the Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill at 5 p.m. this evening. It does not take into account the importance of the legislation to be addressed. I do not propose to oppose its passage. My appeal is to the effect that we should have the opportunity to properly address its content and the...
- Order of Business (1 Jul 2009)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: As has already been stated, the guillotine is unnecessary and should not apply in this case and we oppose it.