Results 21,061-21,080 of 26,795 for speaker:David Cullinane

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances (11 May 2022)

David Cullinane: 262. To ask the Minister for Health the position in respect of the reimbursement of the FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring system for those with type 1 diabetes; if consideration has been given adding FreeStyle Libre to the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23774/22]

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister for agreeing to take statements. To clarify, this is a session of questions and answers. I believe that is what was agreed so we can go over and back with the Minister. Is that correct?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: I will go over and back with the Minister. I thank the Minister for agreeing to this format today. For how long has the State been involved in negotiations with the St. Vincent's Healthcare Group?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: It was 2013. How many Ministers have been involved in talks? It will have been James Reilly, the Minister, Deputy Harris, and Deputy Donnelly himself. Was it three Ministers?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: We should not forget Deputy Varadkar. There have been four Ministers for Health involved in the negotiations at various times. Last year, some controversy again arose in respect of this issue. The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste responded to concerns from Members of the Oireachtas. At that time, the Tánaiste put on the record his concerns regarding governance, ownership and so on. I...

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: Over what time period were the negotiations conducted?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: Was it a year?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: There were very intense negotiations at the very highest level involving a lot of time and effort from the Minister. Why all of these negotiations?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: Why is there a need for a constitution, a new company and all of these protracted negotiations involving four Ministers over nine years or longer? Why has all of that been necessary?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: What is behind the complexity? That is what I am trying to get at. We know it was complex. That is one of the arguments we are making. All of this is very complex. I imagine co-location is part of the reason for that complexity. The lease arrangement is also a complex aspect. Why is the lease arrangement complicated?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: Let me make it easier for the Minister.

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: Let me make it easier. If we were building the hospital on public land, there would not be that complexity. There would be no lease so there would not have been those complex issues to deal with.

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: I just wanted to clarify that. When the Minister became involved in the talks having come into office, did he state it was his preference for the land to be brought into full public ownership or make a formal request that be done? Is that something he asked for?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: Why?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: We accept all of that. I will get to what St. Vincent's Healthcare Group may want later. I am just establishing facts here. The Minister came into office and made it clearly known to St. Vincent's Healthcare Group that it was his preference for the land to be transferred into public ownership. That was his preference and he has just explained the reason. However, over recent days,...

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: Why would the Minister prefer public ownership? This goes to the heart of the matter.

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: I am asking the Minister why he made those arguments for all of those years. I will not go back and quote what he and others said because that would just waste everybody's time. It is accepted. Why did he have that position before he himself was involved in talks? Why did he initially carry that position into the talks and request public ownership? What was the reason?

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: We will get to how clear and clean it is in a few minutes because that gets to the substance of my concerns. I will move on to the issue of potential ambiguity in respect of phrases in the text of the lease and the constitution. I refer to the term "clinically appropriate". We have been through this an awful lot. Yesterday, the Minister offered to write a letter of comfort and express his...

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: The Minister would in principle accept that interpretation of law will not happen on the floor of the Chamber and interpretation of law does not happen in an operating theatre; interpretation of law happens in a courtroom by judges. That is why it is important that we get this right. There are concerns. Whether the Minister agrees with those concerns or not, given there are concerns about...

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (12 May 2022)

David Cullinane: I have only five minutes left. That is not the question I asked.