Results 21,761-21,780 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Pension Provisions (29 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disease Management (29 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Defibrillators Provision (29 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. AEDs (defibrillators) are available in many locations across society under the management of various organisations. The location, maintenance and upkeep of these devices is a matter for the supplying organisations. The HSE is not responsible for the supply or upkeep of AEDs. As such, an AED register would not be within the scope of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (29 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The role of testing and contact tracing, as part of the wider public health response, has been under ongoing review throughout the pandemic and will continue to be reviewed and amended in line with the epidemiological profile of the disease, its impact on healthcare utilisation and outcomes, and the vaccination status of the population. I have approved recommendations from NPHET focusing...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Like many throughout the country, I was deeply concerned by what I saw on Tuesday's "RTÉ Investigates" programme on the disposal of perinatal organs in Cork University Hospital mortuary department. I cannot begin to imagine the hurt that has been caused to the 18 families affected. These families had already been through the unimaginable tragedy of having lost a beloved child and it is...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I am happy to do it now, or would Deputy Gould like me to answer after both Deputies have spoken? I am happy to do it whichever way the Deputies like.

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I might start with Deputy Gould. Cork University Hospital and the HSE have stated categorically that they have contacted the 18 families involved and that that was not done now, but last year around mid-May. If that is not the case, I will act immediately. There can be absolutely no question of other families who this may have happened to and who have not been contacted. If that was the...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: If they are willing to do that, I will act on it immediately to find out what the situation is. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. I am conscious of the time and that the issue of the reviews may arise in other questions. There are three reviews happening. Two are being run by Cork University Hospital and one is being run by the HSE at my request. The first review is what is...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for his comments and questions. With regard to the three reviews, the first is a review of what happened and why. I am advised that we will have that around the start of November. On the second review, which is the perinatal review of standards and procedures, we have not been given a concluding time for it, but we are asking the question as to when we might have it....

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I ask the Deputy to repeat her third question.

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for her questions. She first asked why there were no safeguards in place, but there were and there are. There are very clear standards and protocols in place. The national guidelines are very clear. They say that the only two avenues available are burial and cremation. CUMH's own guidelines go further and state there is one option available, which is burial. What has...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: That is correct.

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: There is a drug that has been approved called Spinraza. I met the parents of a beautiful young boy earlier this week at the Laura Lynn Foundation who told me the drug their son is taking is having a real impact, which is very encouraging. The new drug the Deputy refers to has been raised with me and the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics will be taking a look at it. I fully appreciate...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I was very concerned when I saw exactly what the Deputy has just described. There is a review going on right now and we will have the results of that in a few weeks. Early November is what the hospital is saying in terms of providing that review to me. When I have that review, I am going to share it. I imagine the Dáil, the Seanad and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health will be...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It is a very important point. I will give a detailed response. The Department of Health has advised that the HSE South/South West Hospital Group, Cork University Hospital and Cork University Maternity Hospital have apologised to the bereaved parents. They very much regret the incident. The Department is informed that open disclosure did occur with the parents in line with the HSE open...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The families were contacted initially on 11 and 12 May and then on the subsequent dates that I have given. The HSE advises that the families were told. As part of the review-----

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I want to make sure we get exactly the right information on the record of the House. Therefore, I will ask for a note on that as to exactly what language was used in the letters to make sure we have exactly the right information on that.

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The specific details the Deputy seeks are not communicated either in this or in other events with the Department through the agreed protocols. This is why we need to look at the review. We will have the review at the start of November and it will include exactly these issues. For reasons of patient confidentiality, which I am sure we all support, those types of details do not get reported...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Deputy Gould raised a similar question. The very clear advice we have from the HSE and the hospitals involved was that the appropriate communication was made with the families in May last year. If it is the case, as the Deputy says, that very relevant details were only disclosed by phone before "RTÉ Investigates", I want to know about that and I will be taking that up immediately with...

Cork University Maternity Hospital: Statements (30 Sep 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: What happened is completely unacceptable and it is outside the guidelines. The national guidelines state that when a parent or guardian has consented, the processes that should be used are burial or cremation, not incineration. Furthermore, Cork University Hospital and Cork University Maternity Hospital go further than that and say it is only burial.