Results 2,001-2,020 of 3,962 for speaker:Lisa Chambers

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I wish to raise with the Tánaiste the issue of the western rail corridor and the campaign to get it opened from Athenry to Claremorris. I understand that EY-DKM have been appointed as consultants for the Government to carry out a financial and economic appraisal of the proposed track extension. Will the Tánaiste outline to the House when the public consultation phase of that will...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: ESRI Report on Ireland and Brexit: Discussion (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I thank Dr. Bergin for her opening statement. Brexit obviously poses one of the most significant challenges and threats to our economy that I will probably ever see in my lifetime and certainly for many years. Dr. Bergin speaks about three different scenarios. Can she explain what she means by a managed no-deal scenario because my understanding is that this is not actually on the table....

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: ESRI Report on Ireland and Brexit: Discussion (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Just to be clear, the middle scenario of no deal is not based on there being a transition period? That is still a cliff-edge, no-deal scenario?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: ESRI Report on Ireland and Brexit: Discussion (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: That was my point. I will run through my questions all together, that might be a bit easier. The Parliamentary Budget Office issued a report not so long ago highlighting the fact that the Government's budget planning was based on the central case, namely, that the UK would remain within the European Union, and it did not really account for the possibility of a no-deal, cliff-edge scenario....

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: We are here to discuss the Estimates, but I will focus on CervicalCheck as it obviously has an impact on the health budget. On the last occasion the Minister appeared before the committee, I asked a question about the decision to offer the free out-of-cycle smear tests and who gave the Minister that advice. After pressing him for a while the Minister said it was his idea but that it was...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: It is not a question. I am just framing my next question. Does the Minister still stand over the evidence he gave to the committee that day, that his decision was supported by the chief medical officer, in light of Dr. Flannelly's evidence? In addition, what advice did Mr. Tony O'Brien give the Minister on Sunday, 29 April?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Perhaps the Minister could answer my question. I know there is a bit of a thing going on here but I am waiting for answers.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I would agree with the Minister on that, actually.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Yes, and the Minister actually stopped it two months later.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: There is a timeline of making the decision, communicating it, and taking the memo to Cabinet on 1 May. On the last occasion I asked the Minister whether, prior to taking that decision, anybody advised him against it or warned of any potential problems. The Minister answered, "not to my recollection". I said, "not one voice" and the Minister said, "not to my recollection". That is becoming...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: To make that decision without considering capacity and resources was reckless. That is my view. The Minister will probably disagree, I am sure.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: CervicalCheck was before the committee last week and was being asked about the new HPV screening programme. Regrettably, it is now looking as though it could be 2020 or 2021 before that comes into being. When I pushed on why it was not being made available sooner, the answer I was given was that decisions of this nature must be based on clinical evidence and they must be safe. The...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: It is not about giving it up. My point is that the Minister is responsible for what he tweets.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: It is not credible that not one dissenting voice made its way to the Minister's ear before 1 May. That is my view. What I find completely incredible is that the Minister did not review that decision until October. May, June, July, August and September make five months. On the last occasion the Minister was before this committee, he said he was engaging with CervicalCheck almost on a...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I did not say that and I do not agree with it.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: The Minister did not deal with why he did not review until October. He is saying he was waiting until the Scally report was finalised and that was the point at which he had reassurance from the laboratories. However, the Minister was still sending women to the same laboratories and to the same service. To me that does not add up, but I realise that we will not get further on that issue today.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: The HSE has attributed two thirds of the increase to that offer. The HSE is saying that. It is not me saying that.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: It is not Opposition politicians. The Department and the HSE are saying that.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: The HSE has not given any positive signals about capacity. We are one year on since the promise was given and the offer made. There is no extra capacity. The Minister made a point about women going to private operators and paying privately. A strong point was made by Deputy Donnelly on the previous occasion. He said that shows there is capacity somewhere if people pay for it. The...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 38 - Health (Further Revised) (10 Apr 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I wish to clarify one point. MedLab is servicing rural parts of the country. If a woman is living in County Mayo, where I live, she is waiting for eight or nine months. That is far longer than anyone else. It is of particular concern to women living in that region because the laboratory with the biggest backlog is now looking to pull out. We need reassurance from the Minister on how that...